Payouts for Conti Clairoix Workers Agreed Upon

The union representing workers at Continental’s factory in Clairoix, France announced on May 31 that Conti management had agreed upon a minimum 50,000 euro per person payout in compensation for the facility’s closure. The company had originally offered a 17,000 euro compensation package, which the workers refused.

On May 29 Continental management offered the company’s 1,120 workers in France a pay-off starting at 50,000 euros, extending up to 100,000 euros for those working for the company for more than 30 years. Employees will receive their normal salary until October and 85 per cent of their pay until 2011 and an unemployment benefit equalling 75 per cent of their salary until 2014.

Staff agreed to accept the offer the following day and unions said they expected to sign a formal agreement with Continental directors within the next week or so. “Solidarity paid off,” said Xavier Mathieu, Continental’s CGT union representative. “For three months, our mobilisation never weakened…this demonstrates that power belongs to the people.”