Belgian workers strike GM plant over increased workload

[Oracle of Delphi]

Johan Dillen

July 3, 2008 11:27 CET

General Motors Europe workers stopped working at the company's Antwerp, Belgium plant this week because of complaints over an increased workload, union officials said.

The plant's union stopped building the lower-medium Opel Astra Tuesday afternoon.

Union and management agreed to a compromise Wednesday morning to slow the assembly line. Production resumed immediately after the agreement.

There had been an agreement to increase the speed of the assembly line from 30 cars per hour instead of 28.

"It is now clear that … is unbearable for the current workforce," said Luc Van Grinsven, chief representative of ACV-Metaal, the Belgian trade union.

Ann Wittemans, spokeswoman for GM Belgium, said: "We have now agreed to slow (the line), until solutions to improve the working conditions have been implemented."

Negotiations to resolve this issue are planned for early next week.

Last year GM Europe eliminated 1,400 jobs at the plant, or the equivalent of one shift. The company wants to move production of the Astra to other plants across Europe by 2010.

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...p;rssfeed=RSS33

[Drew Dowdell]

1 car every 2 minutes instead of 1 car every 2 minutes 9 seconds is too much?

*cracks whip*

Get back to work!

[Intrepidation]

Lazy.

They bitch if they get no product to build and bitch if they have to work more on a a product that sells well.

[Newbiewar]

["It is now clear that … is unbearable for the current workforce," said Luc Van Grinsven, chief representative of ACV-Metaal, the Belgian trade union.]

that suggests to me, they will soon look for a more willing workforce...

[CARBIZ]

Europe is finished. They are going to be completely left behind in the world sweepstakes. What they won't do for 40 euros and hour, someone in Bangalore or China will do for 2 euros - and work 50 hour weeks.

[Clownzilla]

Europe is finished. They are going to be completely left behind in the world sweepstakes. What they won't do for 40 euros and hour, someone in Bangalore or China will do for 2 euros - and work 50 hour weeks.

The Chinese will probably also build the product as good or better than their German counterparts. I don't think many people (including hardcore unions) understand that today's China has a MUCH better workforce and factories than they did a decade ago. To be honest, I would rather have a vehicle built by a grateful Chinese person than a German worker that is an ungrateful a**h***.

[Oracle of Delphi]

European Auto Unions make the UAW and CAW look like babies sucking their thumb!

[Blake Noble]

European Auto Unions make the UAW and CAW look like babies sucking their thumb!

They all have one thing in common, though: they all have all that whine, but no cheese.

[CARBIZ]

The Chinese will probably also build the product as good or better than their German counterparts. I don't think many people (including hardcore unions) understand that today's China has a MUCH better workforce and factories than they did a decade ago. To be honest, I would rather have a vehicle built by a grateful Chinese person than a German worker that is an ungrateful a**h***.

...don't know if I would go quite THAT far, being as I've had 2 Chinese made blenders crap out in the past 4 years and a Chinese made Cd clock radio. Frankly, with the way things are going, China won't have to invade us in 15 years, they will either already own us outright or when they do invade none of our machinery will function to defend us because it was all made in China anywa.

[Guest aatbloke]

Europe is finished. They are going to be completely left behind in the world sweepstakes. What they won't do for 40 euros and hour, someone in Bangalore or China will do for 2 euros - and work 50 hour weeks.

Neither hard-working Europeans or North Americans will do much for less than $30 a hour - the cost of living sees to that. The difference is that Americans are now realising that all those 50-hour weeks and two weeks' annual vacation doesn't make for a solid economical platform.