EMF supports for French unions' action day
“The EMF expresses its full solidarity with the Airbus workers’ action in the French Airbus plants today and calls on all its affiliates to express their full support for this action undertaken in reaction to the EADS announcement of the Power 8 restructuring plans for Airbus plants and job cuts” said Peter Scherrer, the General Secretary of the EMF.
Today 6th March is a national action day organised by the French trade unions, within the framework of the European-wide coordination agreed by the EMF affiliates, and follows the national action day organised by its German affiliate on 2nd February.
The French trade unions and the EMF reconfirm their strong opposition to any job cuts and possible selling off of parts of companies or plant closures. The EMF has set out its demands in the platform agreed by its Trade Union Coordination Group and these were sent to EADS management last week (see EMF website for text).
All the EMF affiliates with membership in Airbus in Britain, Spain, Germany and France, together with affiliates representing workers in the supplier countries (e.g. Belgium and the Netherlands), have called for a European Action Day which unites all the Airbus workers and their trade unions. This European Action Day will take place on 16th March.
On this day, Airbus workers and their unions will undertake action throughout Europe to demonstrate their solidarity and their determination to prevent massive job losses and the possible sell off of airbus sites. The form that this action will take (work stoppages, strikes, plant assemblies, demonstrations, etc.) depends on the legal possibilities open to unions in each country as well as their national practice, but the action will be coordinated by the EMF.
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PRESS 11/2007
The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry. The EMF has a mandate for the external representation and coordination of the metalworkers' unions and a mandate to engage in bargaining at European level.
For further information please contact:
Editor, Peter Scherrer, EMF General Secretary
