German union calls for strike action at Airbus over future structure

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German union calls for strike action at Airbus over future structure

BERLIN Reuters -- German labor union IG Metall called for strikes at Airbus and its unit Premium Aerotec amid a dispute over the business's future structure.

If there is no solution soon, this will be a major conflict, Daniel Friedrich, district leader of IG Metall, said on Wednesday.

The dispute centers around the shake-up announced in April, with Airbus's Premium Aerotec unit in Germany being disbanded, with part of it being combined with other Airbus manufacturing plants and the rest being folded into a new business specialising in small mass-produced parts that could be spun off.

Airbus has argued that the unit could work for competitors or win customers from other industries, and therefore better utilise its workforce due to the fact that it has been loss-making for years.

IG Metall demands that Airbus stop its plan to hive off the business, which makes components for military and commercial aircraft, and safeguard its jobs and sites, mainly in Augsburg and Varel near Bremen. The business has around 3,500 employees.

IG Metall said workers would stage protests on Thursday and plan to hold a virtual rally on Friday.