Peugeot
French auto workers threaten to blow up factory
Workers at collapsed French car parts maker New Fabris threatened on Sunday to blow up their factory if they did not receive payouts by July 31 from auto groups Renault and Peugeot to compensate for their lost jobs.
New Fabris was declared to be in liquidation in April, so the 366 workers stand to get no redundancy money, although they are entitled to draw state unemployment benefit.
France: suicides amongst auto-workers
A spate of suicides amongst workers at French car plants reflects the fact that large numbers of workers are being driven to take their own lives by workplace stresses.
In France there are 300-400 suicides a year directly attributable to working conditions according to Christian Larose, vice-president of the social and economic council of the CGT. Roughly one worker is killing him/herself a day because of the job that they have.
France: Peugeot strikers picket offices
On Friday over 300 striking workers demonstrated outside the head offices of PSA Peugeot Citroën in Paris.
The workers, employed by subcontractors unsuccessfully demanded a meeting with management. Workers from Aulnay (Seine-Saint-Denis) have been on strike since the 28th of February. Their demands for a salary increase of 300e per month and for a minimum monthly salary of 1500 euros were described as "unacceptable" by management.
Wild ride - a different perspective on the Czech car industry
The following article was written by comrades from the Czech Republic. Following their analysis of the strike at Skoda they investigated the development of the car industry in the Czech Republic more thoroughly, concentrating on Škoda/Volkswagen, TPCA (Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile) and the suppliers.
Ryton and Ellesmere Port workers fight job losses
Workers from the Ryton plant in Coventry, due to be closed by Peugeot, demonstrated outside a dealership in Birmingham alongside members of West Midlands Anarchists on Saturday.
This followed a wildcat strike by workers at the Vauxhall plant at Ellesmere Port after an announcement that one shift was going to be dropped. This is likely to lead to 1,000 job losses at the plant, which produces the Astra series of cars. Workers downed tools immediately following the announcement and were joined by the next shift who refused to start work.
Ryton Peugeot factory closure - local anarchists speak
A member of West Midlands Anarchists speaks to libcom.org news about the impending closure of Peugeot's Ryton factory near Coventry, which will cost thousands of jobs.
"Peugeot made a profit of over one million euros last year, and how did it repay its workers and the Ryton plant near Coventry? Not with bonuses and pay rises, but with redundancy. The workers at Ryton have been making the most successful car in the company’s history the Peugeot 206, therefore the unions have stated that the plant is profitable.
