Aachen tyre plant: Continental blocking potential investors, says union

Strong words from one of the unions representing workers at the Continental tyre factory in Aachen, Germany. Speaking with Munich-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, IG BCE trade union chairman Michael Vassiliadis stressed that the planned job cuts “will be expensive”. He also claimed that Continental has turned away potential investors.

In September, Continental announced it would close the plant by the end of 2021 as part of a wider cost-cutting programme that will see some 30,000 jobs relocated, modified or eliminated. The programme will affect an estimated 13,000 jobs just in Germany.

“Supervisory board chairman Wolfgang Reitzle probably thinks that he can simply rule by decree,” Vassiliadis told the Süddeutsche Zeitung yesterday. “We will ensure that Conti returns to its senses and treats its employees with respect. These job cuts will be expensive.”

Unnamed potential investors

According to the union chairman, the decision to close the Aachen tyre factory betrays Continental’s true agenda: “They want to close the plant and later reinstate the capacities at low-wage locations. We would have had potential investors for the plant, Conti blocked (these).”

Vassiliadis didn’t elaborate on these “potential investors” or on how Continental is “blocking” this option. Our German sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung has reached out to IG BCE for further information, however the union has yet to respond. Aachen-based newspaper Aachener Zeitung reports that several parties have shown interest in the facility.