Spanish unions have rapped Valeo for unfairly eliminating 2,700 jobs since it began shifting vehicle components production to cheaper outposts in Morocco and Eastern Europe in 2001.
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In a statement, the UGT union criticised Valeo for recently closing its 76-worker Mostoles (Madrid) plant without consulting it or negotiating appropriate redundancy packages.
The move followed Valeo´s closing of its Orense and Alcala de Henares factories, employing 254 and 107 workers respectively, early this year.
Valeo´s policy to “relocate and destroy jobs” –as the union described it – resulted in 662 redundancies in 2003 (from the shuttering of Barcelona´s Sant Esteve and Abrera factories) and another 1,670 associated job cuts, UGT said.
Another 4,600 jobs are at risk, the union added, as Valeo continues to reduce its Spanish operations, a process that could close another nine plants.
Valeo´s Spanish phones rang unanswered when just-auto sought comment.
The company has said it needs to cut global production costs and that the Spanish factories, which make parts such as car wiring and locks, are no longer competitive.
Unions slammed Valeo for its lack of executive representation in Spain, “which makes it impossible to negotiate alternatives to the closings.”
UGT called for the government to introduce measures to keep production at home, where 2,500 jobs are lost annually in the components industry.
Ivan Castano
