The US labour union United Auto Workers (UAW), its President Shawn Fain, and representatives from the European union IndustriAll visited Audi Forest in Brussels on Friday, as workers refuse to resume production until the German car manufacturer explains its plans for the plant.
The visit comes in response to news from Audi management on 9 July, when it was announced that the company intends to restructure its Brussels facility, putting some 3,000 jobs at risk. The factory was set to slowly resume operations on Wednesday but the workforce declined to return following Tuesday’s announcement that Volkswagen, Audi’s parent company, had no plans to assign any new vehicle models to the factory.
The UAW, with its many members, and IndustriAll came to show support, said Pascal Debrulle, a delegate from the FGTB union. The attendance of Shawn Fain, a well-known figure, has been warmly received, noted the socialist unionist. Debrulle hopes this visit will focus media attention on the plight of Audi’s workers who are caught at the centre of public concern. “We’re being heard all the way from the US, it’s a good sign”, he stated.
Work remained at standstill on Friday with no clear resolution for the coming week. A staff meeting is due to take place in the afternoon. But Debrulle warned that staff should not to be too optimistic about resuming work, as the factory's prospects remain bleak at present.
