Thousands of Airbus employees protest against job cuts in Spain
Bearing union banners and chanting behind their face-masks, thousands of Spanish Airbus employees gathered outside a factory near Madrid on Thursday to protest against a restructuring plan that will see hundreds of jobs lost in the country.
"We're protesting because the company, taking advantage of this temporary situation of COVID-19, wants to get rid of 900 workers," said protester Jose Luis Collado, who has worked at the company for 41 years.
"This is a temporary situation. It's going to pass and we don't understand why around 1700 people of Airbus Spain have to be fired," Collado told Reuters.
From the factory, the protesters marched two kilometres to Getafe's town hall where the mayor gave a speech in support of the workers.
"For us it's about defending our rights, defending Spain's aerospace sector. It needs to be supported," said Lorena Fernandez, another protester with 11 years at the company.
Airbus workers in other regions of Spain joined protests at the company's plants in Seville and Cadiz, in the south of the country.
In June the company announced it would slash 15,000 jobs from its global workforce after the coronavirus pandemic brought air travel to a screeching halt, decimating demand for the planes and systems that Airbus produces.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the government is working with Airbus to find ways to keep jobs in the country, but so far no details on any rescue plan have been released.
France and Germany will bear the brunt of the layoffs, with around 5,000 apiece. But for Spain, with its economy among the worst hit in Europe, the loss of 900 manufacturing jobs is a heavy blow.
Before the coronavirus crisis, Airbus was already planning to cut around 700 jobs in Spain.
And in recent months Japanese automaker Nissan has said it will close three plants in Catalonia, while Alcoa is in the process of shutting a factory in the northwestern region of Galicia.
(Source: Reuters)
New Delhi chokes under toxic smog as air quality remains at hazardous levels
Hundreds in Rio de Janeiro rally to slam countries sending money, bombs to Israel
COP29: Iran calls on international community to lift sanctions
VIDEO | Paris march in support of Palestine women
VIDEO | ICC issues arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, ousted regime war minister
120 Palestinians perish as Israeli war machine keeps ravaging Gaza
VIDEO | Struggles of Palestinian women amidst war, displacement
VIDEO | Hezbollah rains attack drones down on elite Israeli brigade
VIDEO | US biased mediation fails
Leader: All captains of criminal, Zionist, terrorist gang must be prosecuted
Iran further raises its oil prices for Chinese buyers: Report
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
