job losses
Archive of articles on job losses and working class struggles against them.
Report and reflections on the UK Ford-Visteon dispute 2009 - a post-Fordist struggle
A detailed account and analysis of the struggle of Ford-Visteon car manufacturing workers who occupied and picketed their plants after being sacked when their employers declared themselves bankrupt.
In June 2000 Ford Motor Company outsourced the production of certain component parts to a new company called Visteon - in reality a spin off company of Ford and in which Ford retained a 60% holding. Visteon runs factories all over the globe: in America, Europe and Asia, for example.
Strikes and lockouts in South Korea
As the economic recession hits South Korea, striking car workers have been locked out of their factory while earlier in the week construction workers go on strike in and around Seoul.
Ssangyong Motor Company has locked striking workers out of its plant to stop them disrupting production at the carmaker, which is in bankruptcy protection.
Unionised workers at the South Korean automaker have been on strike since May 21, demanding management keep the assembly line workforce at current levels in a self-rescue plan the company is devising under a court order.
The recession: what it means for education
This article summarises some of the issues facing the education sector and how they are more acute in times of recession, and was the result of numerous discussions on Libcom. It first appeared in issue 1 of The Leveller.
The recession is everywhere we look, in this very paper there’s many articles reporting on, and discussing, the widespread and varied effects of the ‘economic downturn’ across all sectors.
Workers in South Korea respond to mass redundancies with strike action
Workers at South Korean automaker Ssangyong Motor went on strike on Thursday in protest at plans for mass layoffs to save the firm from bankruptcy.
Assembly lines at its plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, stopped at 1:30pm, said union spokesman Lee Chang-Geun.
"Management should come to talk with the union on avoiding the proposed massive job cuts," Lee said, adding that the duration of the strike would be decided Friday.
Sacked traffic wardens continue protest in Belfast
Protests continued today for former Belfast traffic wardens after 26 were sacked in April for taking part in unofficial strike action.
Around 30 people were present at today's protest, made up of the sacked workers, supporters from Organise! and representatives from the union representing the workers, the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa). The protests are now a daily occurrence on May Street in Belfast, where the offices of the employer National Car Parks (NCP) are located.
University union suspends ballot over job security and pay
The University and College Union (UCU) has suspended its ballot for industrial action over pay and job security until autumn.
Following notification that 78 higher education (HE) employers intend to use anti-trade union laws against UCU, the union has announced that it is suspending the ballot for industrial action that had be due this month.
Belfast Visteon workers to vote on new redundancy deal
Visteon car workers in west Belfast are to vote today on whether to accept a deal and end a bitter dispute over the collapse of the factory.
The Unite union said it had agreed improved redundancy terms with the company. The deal includes enhanced payments for redundancy, as well as compensation in lieu of notice and holiday pay.
University and college bosses plan job cuts in higher education
The University and Colleges Union has revealed that university and college bosses will not be making them any new pay offer and that many are seeking job cuts.
Following a meeting with Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) recently, the University and Colleges Union (UCU) and other trade unions were told that they would not be getting an initial pay offer and that jobs cuts could be expected across the higher education (HE) sector. Up to 100 HE institutions were making plans for collective redundancies
Electronics workers save their jobs in France
After an occupation and strike lasting over six weeks workers at the FCI Microconnections in Mantes-la-Jolie have saved their jobs.
The strike began on February 24th with workers demanding assurances on their future. Management refusal to give information on production at an equivalent factory in Singapore and an announcement that there was 'overstaffing' led workers to believe that the company was planning to shut the factory down and shift production.
Report from the Belfast Visteon occupation
Interesting article with background information about the occupation of the West Belfast Ford Visteon plant, and how Ford ran it down.
Post-Fordism in Belfast, Northern Ireland
