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A graveyard atmosphere on the eve of a supervisory board meeting at ThyssenKrupp’s steel unit: At dusk, steel workers protested against planned job cuts with grave lights and wooden crosses. It was a “visual guerrilla action”.
On Thursday evening, employees of Thyssenkrupp’s steel unit held wooden crosses, tomb lamps and torches in front of the steel headquarters in Duisburg to protest against planned job cuts. According to the works council, about 200 people took part in the 30-minute “visual guerrilla action.” Four men in black carried a coffin containing a doll. Bengal torches and tobacco pots were also lit.
The union explained that employees wanted to use the event to showcase the future of the steel sector. Jens Burnicki of the General Trade Union said that on the eve of a key supervisory board meeting, the aim was to “set an example”.
The supervisory board of Germany’s largest steelmaker ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe (TKSE) will discuss a fundamental restructuring on Friday. In order to improve competitiveness, it plans to reduce production capacity, which will also involve layoffs.
However, layoffs for operational reasons should be excluded. The division is set to become independent. However, what remains controversial is what financial resources the parent company will use to make the steel division independent.
Works Council sees bankruptcy risk
Ali Güzel, chairman of the works council at the Duisburg/Beckworth plant, expressed concern on Thursday evening that the parent company was not providing enough funds. “The fear is that we will get as little dowry as possible so that in the end the insolvency administrator will come to us,” Güzel told reporters. “The risk of bankruptcy is very high,” he continued.
According to him, Friday’s regulatory agenda also includes the commissioning of a further report on the necessary financial resources for the sector.
Previously, steel management, the ThyssenKrupp board and the concept of co-determination were still far apart.
Guzel said employees would only agree to the business plan developed by Steel management once future financing was clear.
ThyssenKrupp’s steel division has around 27,000 employees, including 13,000 in Duisburg.
News Department/Luke
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