manufacturing and materials
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in manufacturing, research and development, mining and materials around the world.
Rolls Royce to close Merseyside plant
Workers at the Rolls Royce plant in Netherton today claimed the company had given them notice to close the factory with the loss of 220 jobs.
Rolls Royce announced a review of the site in August and an internal memo confirmed that they have suggested switching production from Netherton to a US plant in Mount Vernon, Ohio. They claim fluctuating work volumes, high costs and the US dollar’s poor exchange rate have put the Sefton site in jeopardy.
Canada: metal-workers strike over pensions and pay
Workers at the mining company QIT Fer et Titane in Quebec hav been on strike for over a month, with no end in sight.
Workers are protesting against the two-tier pension system that the company, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, is trying to impose on new workers. Workers had already accepted a freeze on benefits to allow the company to make up pension shortfalls.
The workers are also demanding a salary increase and there are further non-financial demands.
1919: US steel strike
While defeated by overwhelming police repression against pickets and union halls, the 1919 strike is significant in the history of organized class struggle in basic manufacturing and the high point of William Z. Foster's "bore from within" approach to syndicalism.
1919 Steel Strike
October 3, 1919
The Steel Strike Still Holds Public Attention
October 10, 1919
The Steel Strike is Still On
With Few if Any Changes
Mahalla strikers score victory
Government negotiators and labor representatives resolved early on Saturday a week-old labor dispute that had paralyzed Egypt’s largest textile factory by largely agreeing to the workers’ demands, the strike committee said in a statement.
Workers’ representatives of the Misr Spinning and Weaving Company in Mahalla el-Kubra, north of Cairo, met with the official government union and they agreed to grant the workers’ an additional 90 days pay, and negotiate over further increases.
France: another suicide by Renault worker
This death was the fourth suicide in a year by a worker at the Guyancourt technocentre site.
The company immediately sought to distance itself from the suicide, firstly by claiming that the man in question had been on sick leave since September 6 and secondly by claiming that his workplace was only administratively a part of the site which has seen three other workers take their own lives in the last year.
Egypt: Mahalla strike update
Five detained Mahalla strikers were released last night, a mass meeting of the strikers rejected compromise and security forces are beginning to step up their presence around the factory.
Taken from the excellent and highly recommended 3arabwy blog.
The five detained Ghazl el-Mahalla labor leaders were released Tuesday night sometime between 11pm and midnight from State Security Police custody.
Launching statement of the 'Solidarity Committee with Mahalla Workers'
This is the launching statement of the Solidarity Committee with Mahalla Workers from 25th of September 2007. The signatories include a number of workers representing several factories and left-leaning organizations and political parties.
Solidarity Committee with Mahalla Workers
Morocco: miners from Jbel Awam on trial
Twenty-nine of the striking miners went on trial today facing charges that include unarmed rebellion.
On July 4th 300 workers from the mine at Jbel Awam in the Middle Atlas went on strike to try and improve their working conditions. The management of the Compañía Minera de Touissit (CMT) refused all meetings with the trade unionists, but had the army sent in on successive occasions to stop the strikers paralysing production.
France: Wimetal workers vote for strike action against factory closure
Workers at the exhaust factory in Wissembourg voted to begin a strike action on Friday.
The company announced to workers that between now and the end of the year production would be wound down and all 181 workers at the site made redundant. Workers called a general meeting and voted for strike action. They voted at a second meeting on Monday morning to continue the action.
Belgium: Techspace Aero workers launch strike
The workers voted on Monday morning to launch strike action demanding assurances over jobs.
The 122 workers are currently employed by the maintenance of military engines division of Techspace Aero, at Herstal. The US manufacturer Pratt & Withney has just bought the division and workers want assurances over their jobs. 75% of the workforce have been with the company for 20 years or more.
