On March 9, DTF management met for the first time with the OGBL and LCGB and the staff delegation to discuss the announced loss of 160 jobs.

After this meeting, the unions and the staff delegation remain dismayed by the attitude and position of the management at the Contern site. In fact, they are stubbornly sticking to the idea of a redundancy plan that will lead to outright dismissals! This is nothing less than following the dictates of the USA! Worse, the management is totally unable to offer any prospects for the remaining production line!

The OGBL and LCGB would like to point out that the company has been benefiting from short-time work and aid from the Ministry of Economy for several months.

On the same day, the unions met with the Minister of Labor to inform him of the attitude of the DTF management during this first meeting. The economic and financial situation was also explained to the Minister. The unions and the staff delegation expressed their deep concern about the future of jobs in the company and asked for the necessary support.

To this end, the OGBL and the LCGB proposed the creation of an “industrial” reclassification cell, inspired by the “CDR” model used successfully in the steel and aviation tripartite agreements. This cell model would make it possible to keep people in work and to partially respond to the labor shortage – on which everyone agrees – through various measures, including the loan of workers, reorientation through training courses, etc. The Minister expressed his support for the creation of this cell.

The Minister clearly expressed his support for the introduction of a job protection plan in accordance with the Luxembourg model of social dialogue, which has proved its worth time and again in some of the country’s most emblematic companies. The Minister confirmed that he would make representations to DTF management in this regard. He also reiterated that his Ministry would support the various measures and steps to be taken in such cases, in accordance with the legal framework for social dialogue (early retirement, short-time work, etc.).

In addition, and in response to the unions’ demands, the Minister undertook to invite the company’s management, the unions and his counterpart at the Ministry of the Economy, Minister Franz FAYOT, to work together on possible solutions to avert this disaster, not only for the employees concerned, but also for Luxembourg’s industrial sector.

Finally, and in view of the negligent and unacceptable attitude of the management and the Celanese group, the OGBL and the LCGB, together with the staff delegation, launch a strong call for mobilization with a view to holding a protest picket in front of the DTF company scheduled for next Thursday, March 16, 2023.

Press release March 10, 2023