Autoeuropa? “It is a defeat for the Portuguese if it is not solved”
SIVA, the group that sells brands from the VW Group in Portugal, isn't worried about there not being enough T-Roc to sell due to the labor dispute in Autoeuropa. But asks for an understanding.
Autoeuropa has been the center stage of a labor dispute that is threatening the production of the new Volkswagen model, the T-Roc. It is a great bet that the German brand is placing in this SUV produced in Portugal, but the lack of understanding between workers and the administration puts the company’s ambitions at risk, but also SIVA’s, for Portugal. “An understanding” is needed, Pedro de Almeida states. Otherwise, it is “a defeat to the country”.
During the presentation of the results from the brands commercialized by SIVA in Portugal, the CEO of the Portuguese company commented on the dispute concerning work schedules, stating that if VW realizes that the factory in Palmela is not producing the units that are expected, it will have to seek other alternatives. But he adds that he does not believe there will be a dislocation of the product.
“I don’t see why an understanding has not yet been reached… The situation must be solved”, stated SIVA’s CEO, highlighting the importance of having a factory like the one in Palmela in Portugal, namely in regards to its impact on GDP, but also on employment. It is in that sense that Pedro Almeida believes that if there is no understanding, then it will be “a defeat to the Portuguese”.
After the rejection of two pre-agreements on the new schedules previously negotiated with the Workers Council, the administration of the factory in Palmela announced the imposition of a new transitory work schedule to be enforced on the first semester of 2018, and the intention to dialogue with the Council in regards to continued work schedule, which should be implemented in August, after vacations.
"I don’t see why an understanding has not yet been reached… The situation must be solved.”
The new transitory schedule, which will be enforced on the last days of January, with 17 weekly shifts, foresees the full payment of work on Saturdays, equivalent to the payment of overtime, and adding 25% of the salary if the quarterly goals for production are met.
Autoeuropa workers approved, in December, a tow-day strike proposal for the 2nd and 3rd of February, after having stopped production last year, something that had never happen in a Volkswagen production in Portugal.
