Volvo workers in 'wildcat' strike
An unofficial strike broke out at a Volvo Trucks plant in Umeå on Thursday. 150 workers downed tools for one and a half hours.
The walkout came in response to wage negotiations at the plant, where unions and Volvo are finding it hard to reach agreement.
At 10 am the workers left their positions, in what management describes as a wildcat strike. Around 150 employees in the factory, which makes truck bodies, were away from their work for about one and a half hours.
"We naturally view this as very serious," said Volvo Trucks' spokesman, Thor Persson.
He would not comment on the wage negotiations, other than to say that both sides had agreed to put them on hold until after the summer holiday period.
Union representative Willian Frank denied that there was a wildcat strike.
"I view it instead as a very forceful declaration of dissatisfaction; we have received an offer that gives us about 80 kronor a month, and I therefore understand that our members get irritated," he said, adding that he does not support wildcat strikes.
The union has demanded 2,050 kronor per month per employee, to be distributed according to where and how many hours individual workers work.
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The walkout came in response to wage negotiations at the plant, where unions and Volvo are finding it hard to reach agreement.
At 10 am the workers left their positions, in what management describes as a wildcat strike. Around 150 employees in the factory, which makes truck bodies, were away from their work for about one and a half hours.
"We naturally view this as very serious," said Volvo Trucks' spokesman, Thor Persson.
He would not comment on the wage negotiations, other than to say that both sides had agreed to put them on hold until after the summer holiday period.
Union representative Willian Frank denied that there was a wildcat strike.
"I view it instead as a very forceful declaration of dissatisfaction; we have received an offer that gives us about 80 kronor a month, and I therefore understand that our members get irritated," he said, adding that he does not support wildcat strikes.
The union has demanded 2,050 kronor per month per employee, to be distributed according to where and how many hours individual workers work.
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