Mitsubishi Motors Europe has told just-auto reports of a strike at NedCar on Monday morning were incorrect.
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“There was no strike per se, but about 200 people gathered in front of the factory this weekend,” said spokesman Daniel Nacass.
“As for today, there was no strike either, the people were waiting for the 14.00 (CET) town hall meeting. Within that context, NedCar management decided to interrupt production today.”
The average volume produced per day was about 550 cars during the last few weeks, Nacass added.
Earlier reports had said that 100-300 workers at the NedCar plant had staged a wildcat strike on Monday morning.
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By GlobalDataRepresentatives of the 3,000-strong workforce met with Mitsubishi management at the weekend to discuss the future of the plant now that DaimlerChrysler has announced plans to cease production of the Smart Forfour there.
In a statement released to just-auto on Monday afternoon, following the town hall meeting, MME said: “The negotiations on the future of NedCar, between the NedCar Supervisory Board, NedCar management and the social partners, did not arrive at a conclusion, and will be continued on 11 April.
“Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has requested NedCar to draft a restructuring plan for a one-shift operation, based on a current production volume of the Mitsubishi Colt, in the context of intended Smart Forfour exit.”
MMC confirmed it would continue to produce the current Colt at NedCar without any change.
Reuters reported that a move to one-shift operation would result in a loss of around 1,000 jobs and possible savings of EUR4.5m ($US5.42 million) per month, citing Dutch agency ANP which quoted officials from trade union FNV Bondgenoten.
The report added that NedCar now employs around 3,000 staff after shedding some 1,800 jobs over the past two years and has already cut shifts from three to two in 2004 because the new Colt and the ForFour were selling below expectations.
Current volume of 75,000 Colts a year leaves lots of extra capacity in a plant that can make up to 280,000 units a year, the news agency noted.
