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FNV Bondgenoten Protests DSM’s Retrenchments in the Netherlands

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12 July, 2005

ICEM Dutch affiliate FNV Bondgenoten and four other unions at DSM’s chemical plant in Geleen engaged in a stop-work march and rally 12 April at the firm’s headquarters in nearby Heerlen in the southern NL province of Limburg. Some 2,500 workers participated in this first-ever such action against DSM. Under the slogan “Stop the Breakdown of DSM Employment in Limburg,” the unions protested DSM’s recent announcement that 1,000 workers at sprawling industrial chemicals operations would be made redundant this year. DSM intends to replace the 1,000 with 500 contractors. The Geleen complex once had 15,000 employees. Prior to this most recent announcement, it employed 5,000.