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The International Coordination Group of Automotive Workers sent us the following declaration of solidarity with the Daimler workforce, which we are happy to publish.

The workers at Daimler are acutely threatened by job cuts or even plant closures and are faced with the question of how they can lead the fight for their jobs across the group. At the founding conference of the International Miners' Coordination in 2013 it was decided: "Today it is less and less possible to stand up to the international mining monopolies in isolation from each other and locally restricted. What we need is the unity of workers worldwide! This also applies to the automobile workers and to all workers across industries! click on Read more for the appeal for the International Automotive Workers Coordination

 Worldwide solidarity in the fight against
the massive attacks on Daimler employees!
Corporation-wide fight for every job and apprenticeship position!
For the 30-hour week with full wage compensation!

Dear colleagues,
With indignation we reject the provocative plans announced on September 23 by the Daimler Board of Management for the closure of locations and further mass destruction of jobs in Germany. In July, a key agreement with the Central Workers Council guaranteed that there would be no compulsory redundancies until the end of 2029. At MAN, where 9,500 jobs are to be cut, the works agreement on guaranteed employment until the end of 2029 has been terminated. It is apparent that these agreements are merely calming pills. Now the Daimler Board of Management announces at an investor meeting: The profit line must be increased, 20% "savings" above all in workforce. Insiders estimate that a total of 20 to 30,000 jobs at Daimler will be destroyed in the next few years. Daimler is focusing on "voluntary" severance payments, partial retirement or early retirement. But every job that is destroyed is painfully lacking for our youth. Therefore, fight for every job! With its announcement, Daimler is now attacking workforces at several locations in Germany. We firmly reject any attempt to divide the Daimler Group workforce into international locations, East and West, production and administration, young and old, and to play them off against each other. These massive attacks on experienced and battle-hardened workforces require corporation-wide workers unification, courageous struggles and even corporation-wide strikes. This is what we stand up for and stand by the side of the struggling workforces. We wish you and us much strength, perseverance and solidarity. As International Automotive Workers Coordination, we will make your struggle known worldwide and call on the international automotive workers movement to stand firmly and solidly by your side. With the announcement to relocate the production of combustion engines abroad and to Kölleda/Thuringia, the locations Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, Mannheim and Berlin-Marienfelde are fully affected. In Untertürkheim alone, 4,000 of 19,000 jobs are intended to be destroyed till 2025. The battery production promised there so far is in question. The Südwerk in Berlin-Marienfelde and the plant in Sirnau (Esslingen) are to be closed. In the assembly plant in Sindelfingen, the loss of at least 4000 jobs and further flexibilization with Saturday work is expected. In Bremen, a new shift model is to be introduced with a Saturday late shift. From Düsseldorf it is reported that as early as November 1300 temporary colleagues are to be fired. This cannot be accepted and challenges the joint corporation-wide fight. Moreover, the solution cannot be to demand that the internal combustion engines be retained in order to secure jobs. In our International Program of Struggle, we state: "We automotive workersare aware of the considerable contribution of the automotive industry to serious global environmental pollution. We fight to ensure that automobile production no longer damages the environment. We need to get away from the burning of fossil fuel, both in engine production as well as in the production and recycling of raw materials. We reject a new global environmental scam.” A close alliance between the workers' and environmental movement is necessary in the common fight against the transition to a global climate catastrophe. In 1984, the Daimler workforce in Germany was an active contributer in the struggle of the IG Metall union for a 35-hour work week with full wage compensation. In 1996, they successfully defended sick pay. The Daimler workforce was a spearhead in the nationwide struggle. In 2004, their resistance caused the planned reintroduction of the 40-hour week to fail. Occupation of the B10 near Stuttgart Mettingen by Daimler colleagues at the Day of Action in 2004 At Renault, 15,000 jobs will also be destroyed, 4,000 of them in France. In Brazil at Renault in Paraná, São José dos Pinhais, an indefinite strike in July prevented 747 colleagues from being dismissed. In Barcelona, an almost 100-day strike prevented the closure of the plant until the end of 2021. Financial compensation was agreed for the 3,000 Nissan colleagues affected. But 3,000 jobs are gone, with an impact on up to 20,000 jobs of the suppliers and in the region. 1,600 colleagues are fighting for their jobs with the sale of the smart plant by Daimler in Forbach, France. In all these strikes and struggles, international support and solidarity is very important. No workforce and location should be left alone. Why is Daimler now attacking these battle-scarred and well-organized workforces? Obviously, the Daimler Board of Management is under considerable pressure in the face of international competition, against the backdrop of the effects of the global economic crisis and structural crises caused by digitization and the transition to electromobility, exacerbated by the Corona pandemic. In the second quarter of 2020 alone, Daimler is reporting a loss of €2 billion combined with a substantial drop in unit sales. This is the reason for this frontal attack, which must be answered immediately with full fighting force and strikes, and not by putting off months of negotiations. Daimler's plans must be taken off the table! Corporation-wide fight for every job and apprenticeship position at Daimler! Against the massive shifting of the burden of the crisis onto our colleagues and their families! For the 30-hour work week with full wage compensation! Long live International Solidarity! With solidarity greetings Coordinators of ICOG. Attached you will find the International Program of Struggle adopted at the 2nd International Automotive Workers Conference in Vereeniging/South Africa in February 2020.

International Automotive Workers Coordination
International Coordinating Group
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Homepage: www.automotiveworkers.org