July 19, 2004: Second Current Information on the Strike at DaimlerChrysler in Germany

In our first current information from July 15 we reported on the day of struggle of the workforce of DaimlerChrysler against the attacks of top management. At least 80,000 workers took part in the strikes in combination with militant actions like the blockade of a big road connecting the plants in Mettingen and Untertuerkheim near Stuttgart. There was great solidarity from other industrial enterprises, from the population and also internationally. E.g. in Brazil the workers of the DaimlerChrysler plant Sao Bernado do Campo staged a solidarity rally.  We would like to draw your attention to the series of photos from the day of strike in the internet under www.rf-news.de. There you can also read the workers' newspaper "Stoßstange" ( in German) that is being published daily. Today morning the current issue with the headline "Now we have to stage a real strike!" has been distributed at 11 locations of DC.

Even during the days after the day of action the walkouts continued. On Saturday the entire shift with 12,000 workers in Sindelfingen was absent. There, the workers have learnt more and more with the help of the factory groups of the MLPD to carry through resolute tactics independently , against the tactics of the trade union leaders, who have oriented towards defusing the conflict and negotiations. The top management has massively threatened with disciplinary action on grounds of the "peace obligation". This underscores the necessity of fighting for a full legal right to strike in all matters. However, the corporation itself has no scruples about breaking the collective agreement. Chancellor Schroeder is warning as well of an intensification and "ideologization" of the conflict. In Berlin the workers on strike have given the right answer by combining the struggle against the extension of working hours, job cuts and wage reductions with political demands against the government: The agenda 2010 must be canceled!

At the moment negotiations between the works council and the management are taking place which signaled its "willingness to make concessions" with the "splendid offer" that also the top management could give up a few per cent of its salary. This has aroused the scorn of the workers. They have pointed to the fact that the "saving of costs" that DaimlerChrysler will achieve by means of an extension of working hours in reality amounts to the loss of 800 jobs in Sindelfingen alone. Combative demands like that for the 30-hour workweek with full wage compensation as 6-hour workday from Monday to Friday are being taken up positively. The mood of the colleagues is a resolute one and many of them are expressing the view that they would support an unlimited strike. An unlimited strike must be organized independently. There are discussions about how the strike can be organized independently against the reformist trade union bureaucracy which is working against it with all means. The MLPD uses the questions for its work of convincing people to strengthen the pole of struggle of the working class and organize themselves in the MLPD. Today evening a discussion meeting is taking place with the chairman of the MLPD, Stefan Engel "They will not get through with this!"

18.30 in the Workers' Education Center South, Stuttgart, Bruckwiesenweg 10.

Send international messages of solidarity to info@mlpd.de, those from DC-companies are of special importance!