Joe Higgins TD

Here we publish the statement from Joe Higgins MEP in support of the current struggle of workers in Opel & Vauxhall.

The prospect of over 10,000 redundancies across Europe at Opel represents a grave threat to the livelihoods of those workers and their families. It would also devastate cities like Antwerp, Bochum and others, while also being a blow to the traditionally strong trade union movement in the car industry.

This vicious plan, which aims at offloading the cost of the crisis onto the shoulders of ordinary workers, so that Magna can make a profit, must be rejected. There is no guarantee at all that this plan will succeed. The crisis of overproduction in the car industry is not the fault of the workers – and they should not pay the price for it. The plan should be fought by the Opel workers, backed up by the wider trade union movement.

The various national governments as well as sections of the trade union leaderships have tried to push Opel workers from different countries into competition with each other – into a productivity race. This offers no way forward for Opel workers, it just offers a “race to the bottom” in conditions for workers and leaves the path clear for Magna to divide and rule.

Instead, I would argue for a united struggle against all job cuts at Opel, calling for nationalisation of the factories, with compensation only to be paid on the basis of need. This could have a massive impact across Europe. It would be an inspirational example to hundreds of thousands facing the threat of unemployment.

A militant united campaign across Europe to defend jobs and wages would win massive public support. Very serious pressure could be put on the governments of Belgium, Germany, Britain, Spain and Poland to nationalise the factories to defend the jobs. If there are attempts to close down plants or sack workers then other measures, including plant occupations and solidarity strikes, will have to be considered.

In answer to those who say that overproduction in cars means that jobs must be lost, I would argue that through nationalising these companies and bringing the workers to the heart of the industry through democratic workers’ control, an alternative plan could be developed. Production could be shifted to producing public transport solutions and other socially necessary production.

You have my full support in your campaign to defend jobs. Don’t hesitate to contact me for assistance at info@joehiggins.eu.

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