Michelin in Germany – up to 1,500 jobs affected

Workers union the IGBCE has responded to Michelin’s “downsizing plans” in Germany – and as expected it isn’t thrilled. Matthias Hille, head of the union’s activities in the Mainz region and a member of the Michelin Deutschland Supervisory Board, comments that IGBCE “cannot at all comprehend the proposed cutbacks” and promises that these will “meet with our resistance.”

Late last week, Michelin announced having initiated talks with unions and plant work councils in response to “growing competitive pressure and rising production and administrative costs in Germany.” The company says the subject of these discussions is “the competitive situation” as well as a “reduction in production” at the Michelin plants in Karlsruhe and Trier as well as reduced new tyre and semi-finished product manufacture in Homburg. It appears that Michelin’s retreading operation in Homburg is not affected by any potential changes.

“The aim of these talks is to jointly examine possible options for this situation,” states Michelin, adding that “no decision” has been made “at this point in time.”

Austerity programme

IGBCE shares different information, claiming that Michelin announced “plans to largely withdraw from the production of truck tyres in Germany” during the staff meetings it held on 19 and 20 October. In a statement published on Saturday, the union says the Michelin plants in Karlsruhe (Baden-Württemberg) and Trier (Rhineland-Palatinate) are “threatened with closure” while two functions could potentially be axed at the facility in Homburg (Saarland). It calculates that up to 1,500 employees could be affected by what the union calls an “austerity programme.”

“Here, sites that are as rich in tradition as they are ultra-modern are threatened with being simply switched off without first having systematically thought through alternatives,” criticises Hille. “The workforce, the works council and the IGBCE will resolutely defend themselves against such cost-cutting actionism.”

IGBCE notes that Michelin describes the Karlsruhe site, which it set up in 1931, as one of the most modern facilities in the industry. The tyre maker completely converted production to electric tyre presses as recently as 2021, reducing CO2 emissions by 82 per cent compared to 2010. Homburg is the only Michelin location in Europe that can install RFID chips directly in new tyres.