Drivers who deliver VW-Audi cars in Britain have won their fight to retain jobs and conditions following a direct approach to IG Metall stewards in Germany and a strike in Sheerness.
The men, formerly employed by Axial which also delivers for Ford, had seen their jobs vanish when VW-Audi awarded the contract to East Cumbrian Motors. ECM are the only car delivery firm crossing the Liverpool dockers' picket lines, something the Axial men refused to do. VW-Audi described the move as a "commercial decision", with no obligation to re-employ the Axial men.
With 92% support for indefinite strike action, the Sheerness drivers went out for five days from 13 February just as the contract was due to be switched. Despite a threat that ECM would break the strike, their own drivers refused to cross the Sheerness picket line.
Meanwhile, the Axial men had been in touch with Liverpool road haulage (TGWU 6/541) and the dockers. This led to contact with rank and file activists in Hamburg. VW-Audi export through Emden, and have a Passat plant in the vicinity.
A delegation met the IG Metall District Officer and two senior stewards from the plant, who promised to raise the matter at the national IG Metall VW stewards meeting and the national forum of their Works Council.
Whilst the transport of cars in Britain is under the control of VW-Audi UK, management in Germany quickly decided to oversee the negotiations already ongoing between the TGWU and ECM, who had refused to implement the European directive "TUPE" on Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).
The deal about to be signed means that ECM will have to set up a base in Kent, probably in Faversham, with a new company "Auto Link". The former Axial drivers will now be taken on by Auto Link and retain all their former conditions. Future recruitment will take place through the TGWU, which has a national agreement with ECM.
As Sheerness driver Dave Williams told the dockers to strong applause on 25 April, "Workers solidarity proved too big for this multinational to handle".
As to the dockers' picket line, the Sheerness drivers will continue to respect it. What about their colleagues in ECM?
