9 February, 2012Mitsubishi Motors announces NedCar plant closure in the Netherlands. IMF Dutch affiliate FNV Bondgenoten mobilizes for survival of the only Mitsubishi plant in Western Europe.
NETHERLANDS: On February 6 Mitsubishi Motor Corporation announced closure by the end of 2012 of NedCar, its only plant in Western Europe located in Limburg, southeastern part of the Netherlands. According to the IMF Dutch affiliate FNV-Bondgenoten, organizing half of the 1,500 employees of NedCar, closure of the plant, the biggest employer in the region, would have dramatic consequences for Limburg and Dutch manufacturing industry.
FNV-Bondgenoten spokesperson Henk van Rees commented, "The stopping of NedCar is unmercifully hard for a region already plagued by high structural unemployment. I am very concerned that mostly older workers will have no place in Limburg's labour market on top of all the other unemployed."
In 2010 the company appealed to the unions and the government suggesting they participate in the studies and plans on how NedCar could be further converted into a competitive car assembly plant. Unfortunately, after long and intensive discussions the company ignored all union suggestions and decided to go for closure.
The announced reason for the closure is underproduction. Last year the output volume reached 47,000 vehicles versus annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles on a single shift. The plant produces Colt compact and the Outlander sport-utility vehicle (SUV). The production accounts for 4.3 per cent of the company's global output.
The union is preparing to fight. At NedCar a strike has been announced on February 10. At the same time the union also demands a clearer stand from the Dutch Government and politicians about the issue of NedCar. Anja Jongbloed, member of the FNV executive board said, "We want an urgent meeting with Minister Verhagen (Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs) to discuss the results of this dramatic development and what can be done to preserve as many jobs as possible at NedCar and in Limburg".