Member of trade union: Situation in automotive industry 10 times harder than last year

Zoran Markovic from the Independent Trade Union of Metalworkers of Serbia says that this year is much harder for the automotive industry, which employs about 50,000 workers, than the previous year in which they fought with the coronavirus.

He notes that all the production inputs have grown in price tremendously, while on the other hand the purchasing power of Europe’s citizens has declined.

“The situation is ten times more difficult than last year. From December to March, 20,000 workers were sent on paid leave for more than 45 days, unlike last year, when there were fewer than 2,000. It is the only defence mechanism of employers that is prescribed by law, to send them on paid leave with 60 percent of their salary,“ Markovic explains.

He says that all the factories in the automotive sector are in the same problem, because raw materials have gone up and demand has dropped because of the war in Ukraine.

“Leoni, HTL, Draexlmaier, Fiat – they are all in trouble. They depend on the sale of cars and no factory produces them for stock, but based on orders,“ Markovic said.

Izvor: Euronews

Foto: screenshot