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GUE/NGL shows solidarity with Italian Getroni
David Lundy - 25.05.2006 16:17
The GUE/NGL fully supports the aims of a Getronics workers delegation present at the Getronics head quarters in Amsterdam to protest the layoffs of 600 employees of Getronics Italy.
NEWS UPDATE
FROM THE GUE/NGL GROUP
Amsterdam 23 May 2006
GUE/NGL shows solidarity with Italian Getronics employees
The GUE/NGL fully supports the aims of a Getronics workers delegation present at the Getronics head quarters in Amsterdam to protest the layoffs of 600 employees of Getronics Italy.
The layoffs at Getronics have led to much unrest, protest and strikes in Italy. The management of Getronics is accused of socially unacceptable behaviour. The results of mismanagement are being transferred to the employees. The agreements that were made with unions to rehire temporary posted workers have not been observed. Not just the unions, but also the national and regional governments in Italy have joined the protest because of the great loss of employment in the regions.
In the Netherlands there is a similar situation with NEDCAR where Mitshubishi announced it would close its facility in southern Limburg. With NEDCAR the company also uses purely economical arguments, discounting the social arguments and having a devastating effect on the region. We can therefore relate very well to the feelings of the Italian workers.
And this is happening not just in Italy and the Netherlands but throughout Europe where large multinationals demand that employees work for less pay and less social protection, so they can maintain competitiveness with other large enterprises in the world.
There is therefore more at stake then just the interests of the employees involved, no matter how important. The unions in Europe fear that the strategy that Getronics is now using in Italy will be some sort of pilot to be used throughout Europe in the future to be able to fire employees and close local branches without interference from European Works Councils or unions. Getronics has now announced it will close the Italian branch but has not agreed that a new buyer would have to observe the agreements that were made about rehiring the 600 workers who are threatened with redundancy.
This is why the GUE/NGL is joining the protest and this why we have brought this matter to the attention of the European Commission. We want the European Commission to condemn this situation and choose the side of the Italian workers, defending a better protection of the interests of workers and of employment. This is also in the interest of Dutch employees of Getronics in Amsterdam.
The GUE/NGL also thinks it is a disgrace if Getronics would be rewarded for this socially unacceptable behaviour by receiving EU-subsidies. Therefore we demand that the European Commission forces Getronics to pay back all subsidies they have received to increase employment. A recent resolution in the European Parliament supports such a tactic very clearly. It would be ludicrous if Getronics were to receive even more subsidies if they relocate there activities, and we therefore want the Commission to put a stop to this.
GUE/NGL Press
Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12
WWW.GUENGL.ORG
 Website: http://www.guengl.org
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