Belgian trade unions are expressing optimism Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) will find a solution for staff at its Nedcar plant in the Netherlands but the situation highlights deep internal divisions within Dutch labour bodies.
The future of MMC’s Nedcar plant in Born is clouded in doubt following the automaker’s decision to “not allocate a new model” from 2013 and beyond but Belgian unions are contrasting the Japanese owner’s approach with that of General Motors which axed its Antwerp plant at the end of 2010, plunging thousands of staff into unemployment.
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Belgium’s ABVV-FGTB trades union body is involved as around 300 of Nedcar’s almost 1,600 employees are from Holland’s neighbour and, as a self-expressed “bit more militant” labour organisation than its Dutch counterpart, is vocal on the subject.
“At least we have the impression the management of Mitsubishi is willing to work towards an alternative,” ABVV-FGTB advisor Rudi Kennes told just-auto. “They are looking for a good business plan rather than close the plant.
“They are really looking for a solution – that was not so in the Opel case.”
Kennes was closely aligned with ‘the Opel case’, having been General Motors’ European Works Council vice-chairman while the US automaker engaged on its hugely controversial shuttering of its Belgian plant in Antwerp as part of a rationalisation plan to stem enormous losses in Europe.
“We have a few [union] delegates there because we have around 300 Belgian people working there,” said Kennes. “In Holland, you don’t have to be a candidate for the works council so we have a few Belgians sitting on the council.
“In that way we are involved because we have a bit more militant tradition compared to the Dutch which gains a lot of seats. In a time of crisis, people need organisations and people [who] give a visionary alternative rather than doing the administration as usual.”
However, it appears the Dutch unions are riven with internal strife with Kennes claiming they are facing turmoil as, perhaps, the national political situation mirrors that of the labour bodies.
“They [Dutch unions] are in a real crisis,” said Kennes. “They fell apart politically – I think it has to do with the political crisis as well because the linked party [Labour] is also facing a major crisis in the polls – they are really doing not well.”
Nedcar currently produces Colt and Outlander models for sale in Europe. A separate joint venture plant in Russia with PSA makes the Outlander and PSA’s Peugeot and Citroen variants for that market.
Born’s local parts procurement is 85% for the Colt and 20% for the Outlander.
The FNV trade union body in the Netherlands was not immediately available for comment.
