The IG Metall trade union is criticizing Continental's planned plant closures in the plastics technology division Contitech. "This is not a strategy, it is negligent and does not reflect well on the company's other plans," said IG Metall Chairwoman Christiane Benner in a statement. "The future is being saved here at the expense of the employees."
The automotive supplier had announced plans to close five Contitech sites in four federal states. A total of around 580 jobs are affected. The plan is to discontinue production in Bad Blankenburg (Thuringia), Stolzenau (Lower Saxony) and Moers (North Rhine-Westphalia) as well as toolmaking at the twin sites in Frohburg and Geithain (Saxony).
In the interests of those affected, IG Metall is calling for a viable and financially secure support concept. There should be no first or second-class workforces, it said. The closure plans had previously also been criticized by the chemical union IGBCE. Unlike in the group as a whole, the IGBCE is the dominant union at Contitech.
Continental justified the move with a continuing decline in demand, particularly in the automotive industry and lignite mining. As part of its corporate restructuring, the Group intends to divest its automotive supply business and also spin off the Contitech division's automotive business and put it up for sale. Among other things, Contitech supplies hoses, drive belts and conveyor belts for industry.
According to the company, Contitech employs around 39,000 people in 37 countries and markets worldwide. In Germany, there are around 11,000 employees at over 22 locations.
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