A workers’ ballot over work time restructuring at the Goodyear-Dunlop twin plants in Amiens, France, apparently passed on 27 June, but controversy remains because the majority union – CGT – boycotted the vote.

In balloting overseen by the regional employment bureau, 72.8% of rubber workers accepted the company’s social plan, which would reduce weekly rotation teams from five to four, as well as make other costs savings related to weekend work. Just over 54% of 2,700 workers at the southern Dunlop and northern Goodyear plants voted on the restructuring, which also is aimed at integrating work at the two factories.

The restructuring of work time, scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2009 with last week’s balloting, also prevents 402 staff from being sacked. It also commits Goodyear to make a €52 million modernisation investment over the next three years in order to produce high-performance tyres.

 
ICEM affiliate CFDT and French union CFE-CGC endorsed the re-negotiated social plan, while CGT called on its members to boycott the ballot. An initial plan put to ballot in November 2007 failed with a 65% rejection.

The three unions are now expected to confer on the matter in July to determine if the social plan will be jointly signed.