Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD)
Heil calls on Continental to keep as many jobs as possible in Germany.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil displeased the planned closure of Continental’s tire production facility in Aachen. “There is no question that the automotive industry has been hit hard by the corona crisis and is also in a process of transformation,” said the SPD politician of the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday). “Nevertheless, I have no sympathy for a radical job reduction program in this area.” This also applies to the Continental location in Aachen, “which was in the black”.
Heil pointed out that the state was already assuming a lot of responsibility in the corona crisis – for example with short-time work benefits and the economic stimulus package. “This is now the hour when the social partnership has to prove itself,” emphasized the minister. “I now expect that at Continental you won’t make decisions in the slipstream of the crisis that you may have already considered.” Rather, the company must find solutions in discussions with the unions in order to keep as many jobs as possible in Germany.
Under the pressure of structural change in the auto industry and the Corona sales crisis, Continental wants to “change” 30,000 jobs worldwide, 13,000 of them in Germany. In addition to retraining employees, this also includes many cancellations or relocations of jobs.
On Tuesday it became known that the second largest auto supplier after Bosch wants to shut down tire production in Aachen as a further location. It’s about 1,800 jobs.
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