Zwickau (dpa/sn) – Saxony’s Economics Minister Martin Dulig (SPD) considers the severance payment scheme for employees at the Zwickau joint shaft plant (GKN) to be exemplary. “I would of course prefer that GKN would not make the decision to close the Mosel site. But under the circumstances, the collective agreement that has now been negotiated is good for everyone involved and offers social security through a really one-off severance payment,” said Dulig German press agency. “Unique means that there has never been such a comprehensive regulation in the whole of East Germany. It really sets standards.” That also has something to do with respect for the employees.
The employees of the car supplier GKN Driveline in Mosel had voted in favor of the social wage agreement with a large majority. According to IG Metall, 96.16 percent of its members in the plant voted in favor of accepting the outcome of the negotiations. This ended the strike. Through the social wage agreement, the employees receive a severance payment of at least 1.5 monthly salaries (gross) for each year of service in the event of termination. The minimum severance payment is 17,500 euros. There is an additional 5000 euros per child.
The automotive supplier GKN Driveline announced in mid-January that it would be closing the plant in the Mosel district of Zwickau for the foreseeable future. 835 employees are affected.
According to Dulig, the collective bargaining agreement also makes it clear that the fight for the location will continue and that there should be a perspective. “That’s why the union and the management have agreed on a joint search for an investor, which is also backed with money in magnitude. Because that was always important to me: on the one hand, we need this perspective for the employees. On the other hand, it’s about strengthening the industrial location .” Therefore, despite all the negative circumstances, he is very satisfied with the collective bargaining agreement, said the minister.