Flexibility – Current Strategy to Reduce Workforce within EU Steel Industry?

Obviously there is a new trend among employers in steel industries of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg as far as personnel is concerned: This trend has a name: "breathing staff" and means in fact the reduction of company staff and an adaption to the prospects of the markets by use of leased workforce. The aim seems to be 80% company staff and up to 20% leased staff. In every day practice this may be realized by reduction of a 5-shift-system to a 4-shift-system, run by the compnay’s own staff and the installation of a 5. shift, run by leased staff if necessary.

This trend seems to be of special importance in those parts of steel industry, which deliver to automobile industry and concerns nameley hot and cold rolled products as well as tailored blanks.

We are urgently interested in answers to following questions:

• Does this trend also exist within the steel industries of France and Spain, namely within companies, which belong to the ARCELOR group?
• What are the detailed demands of local managements representatives of trade unions and staff have to deal with?
• What are the current positions against these demands?
• What are the ideas about a counter-strategy?

There are collective bargainings just now concerning the German steel industry. We have to response to the described current employer’s position. We should do this in a way which supports precautionary action of trade unions everywhere in the EU.

Please answer to:

Alexander Schauenburg
Bremen
Member of the Works Council of Stahlwerke Bremen