- Workers protest against the Thyssenkrupp steel management
Protest at Thyssenkrupp Steel Headquarters
On Thursday evening, employees of Thyssenkrupp's steel division staged a visual guerrilla protest outside the company's headquarters in Duisburg, using wooden crosses, grave lights, and torches to oppose planned job cuts. Around 200 people participated in the approximately 30-minute action, according to the works council. Four men dressed in black carried a coffin containing a puppet, and Bengal lights and smoke bombs were also lit.
A Symbolic Action
The employees aimed to demonstrate their commitment to the future of the steel division with this action, explained the works council. On the eve of an important supervisory board meeting, they wanted to "make a statement," said Jens Burnicki from the central works council.
Germany's largest steel producer, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (TKSE), is set to discuss a fundamental restructuring on Friday. To become more competitive, the company plans to reduce production capacities, which will likely involve job cuts. However, dismissals due to operational reasons are to be avoided. The division is preparing for independence, but the financial provisions for this are still a contentious issue.
Insolvency Fears
Ali Güzel, the works council chairman at the Duisburg/Beeckerwerth site, expressed concern on Thursday evening that the parent company may not provide sufficient funds. "There's a fear that we'll be given as little dowry as possible, so that in the end, the insolvency administrator is standing at the door," Güzel told journalists. "The risk of insolvency is very high," he added.
According to Güzel, the appointment of another expert opinion on the necessary financial provisions for the division is also on the agenda for Friday. The current ideas of the steel management, the Thyssenkrupp board, and the co-determination are still too far apart. The employee side will only agree to a business plan drawn up by the steel management if the future financing is clarified, Güzel said.
Around 27,000 people work in Thyssenkrupp's steel division, with around 13,000 of them in Duisburg.
This action by Thyssenkrupp's employees in Germany aims to convey their strong opposition to the planned job cuts, encouraging the company to reconsider its restructuring plans. The international attention garnered by this protest in Duisburg could put pressure on Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (TKSE) to reassess its strategies, potentially preventing widespread dismissals.
