ThyssenKrupp to cut work hours at shipyards-union

ThyssenKrupp is shortening work hours at its two key shipyards in north Germany, union IG Metall said on Wednesday. Wolfgang Maedel, IG Metall's regional head in northern Germany, told Reuters the shortened work hours programme will start in April. It will initially affect 5 percent of the 3,500 staff at the Emden and Kiel shipyards.
"But it will certainly increase in May, June, July and rise up to 20 percent of the 3,500," he said.
Marine Systems announced on March 11 that it had stopped the construction of four container ships after their owners were unable to get financing. It said it was examining the impact of this development on employment in Kiel and Emden.
Maedel said that if construction of these four ships had continued employment until 2010 would have been secured.
He said there also have been no new orders so far for this year in the shipbuilding business.
He said ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which handles the naval and civil shipbuilding operations of the German industrial group, has an agreement with labour that there will be no mandatory job cuts until the end of 2009.
He expected the company to examine in April or May the job situation at its shipyards for 2010.