The Mercedes-Benz Works Council has announced stoppages on the street to require the management to readmit the three redundant workers in February. This is not the only conflict that has occurred in recent months. The chairman of the Works Council, Igor Gebara (ELA), clearly has to set limits to management, because he considers that the company has a "dictatorial character".

The workers' assembly has recently been held at the Buesa Arena. What have you decided?

We wanted to know above all how the workforce was, given that it is a workforce that has not made major mobilisations in the last 20 years. Both in the morning and in the afternoon, we have gathered around 800 workers. It is true that there have been quite a lot more people than in the concentrations we have carried out so far, but still the figure is not enough, given that we are in a company with 5,000 workers. We have to convince the workers: either we go to mobilizations or there may be more redundancies in the future. If the company sees that the workforce is not strong enough, we're lost. On the other hand, the committee has received a number of complaints in connection with various events that have taken place in the past. In any case, they are things of the past: over 90% of the members of the committee have taken a decision to respond to these situations, and from that we want to start the new journey.

How have these layoffs been?

Last February, Mercedes laid off three permanent workers and it is clear that there have been improper redundancies, although no action is ruled out. All three received identical letters, although they worked in different areas. There had previously been some loose dismissal, but this is the first time three of them have been fired at once. Despite knowing that they were unfair, the company told us that the law was in favor of doing what it wanted, with the simple compensation that the judge determines.

What is the plan that you agreed?

The six trade unions have agreed that we will not accept unfair dismissals. We have set up a monitoring committee and we have defined a protocol that collects dynamics and mobilisations that will be progressively strengthened. In this case, together with the first trial to be held on the 27th, two-hour stoppages have been called. Of course, everyone will be able to accept or not accept the compensation offered by the company. But Mercedes is very dictatorial and we have to pay him expensive layoffs.

Do you see behind those layoffs another motivation?

It's a warning to walk carefully. In recent years, Mercedes has incorporated nearly a thousand permanent workers, who were in that group. During the transitional period, workers are more enthusiastic, but by doing fixed they relax and can give up doing things that fall within the scope of will. This is normal: I have seen workers who have gone to work with a fever, because they were in a precarious situation. Once you've hired a landfill, I guess you'd unsubscribe. According to labour law, whether it is possible or not, that should not influence; unfortunately, things are not like that.

This is not the only situation they have denounced...

That's right. Despite the fact that we have called the Assembly on redundancies, in recent months we have had to face up to the company’s unilateral decisions. Some of them are in court. For example, it is not acceptable that on a Friday workers sign their individual holidays and next Tuesday the company announces that the holidays will be collective. On the other hand, we're sent home saying it's not going to be produced, but then it's -- there's a tremendous mess, and it's the workers who pay for that. We all understand that flexibility is necessary, but that flexibility should not always be at the expense of work-family reconciliation. And in the other conflicts that have arisen, it is the company that finally imposes its criteria. We are imposing, but we are not prepared to accept this situation.

Mercedes has announced cuts in production. Are you afraid that this will affect employment?

In recent years, we've been in record numbers. At the moment, the reduction in production will affect holidays: about 300 jobs were created in three months to replace holiday periods. In general, however, in view of the existing figures, the situation should not affect employment. Another thing is what will happen after the summer.

The Basque Government has announced a new electric vehicle for next summer. Will that improve the situation?

Presumably yes, but the truth is that we do not know what their acceptance will actually be in the market. There's still a lot of doubt about electricity. The company has told us many times that electricity is not the future, because there is not enough material to produce them and, once expired, battery management is going to be very complicated. It seems that the hydrogen option is going to be better. However, combustion engines still have a long time to spare. Today's motorcycles have nothing to do with those that were made years ago.

What is the attitude of the institutions?

I personally have been failed. When they started making massive contracts in Mercedes, we denounced it to the labor inspectorate and the company had to make 550 fixed contracts. But fraud is maintained. Internally, all politicians accept the situation, but do not dare to touch Mercedes. You are allowed to do whatever you want.

This interview was posted by Arabako Aleak and we brought it to ARGIA thanks to the CC-By-sa license.