update 22 April: Good news from Mountain Bike lovers, Marzocchi: the motorcycle sector is in crisis but the bike resists great
The rumors about the closure concern only the motorcycle sector but in any case it is not a good situation.
Source: ilrestodelcarlino
Bologna, 27 March 2015 - Freezing shower for the workers of Tenneco-Marzocchi of Zola Predosa, in the province of Bologna: the management of the US multinational has announced the closure of the plant and the exit from the production of forks for motorcycles and mountain bikes.
"They told us yesterday", Eugenio Martelli, of Fiom-Cgil, said: "They said they intend to cease the activity and leave the fork sector", even if they do not specify a date.
But there are some clues: currently in the Zola company there is an extraordinary layoff, the result of a previous phase of crisis, which should end in September (and until then, incentives are possible for those who want to).
That may already be a 'deadline'. But Fiom doesn't even want to hear about it to see the word 'fine' written next to another famous name of the companies in the land of motors.
“There are 100 or more jobs at risk, the concern of Fiom and employees is very high. We have already told the company that we are not at all willing to stay on the level of the perspective they propose and that therefore - warns Martelli speaking to 'Dire' - we will not remain idle. Tenneco must withdraw from this decision, if it does not, please know right now that we are ready to take all possible initiatives to counter this choice, including the most striking ones ”.
That is, including the occupation of the plant? "If they take us there ... What I can say - says Martelli - is that we cannot afford to lose 100 jobs like this".
The Marzocchi crisis would be due to market difficulties, but the termination of the lease contract for the plant also weighs heavily. Today Fiom informed the employees of the news in a meeting called during the strike and, in the end, the factory was stopped for four hours as the first reaction to the announcements of the Americans.
For Monday, Fiom expects a further call from the company to continue the discussion. But around the corner there is also the preparation of the 'resistance' to the decision to close: “We will decide with the workers which initiatives to implement”, concludes Martelli.
Already in July 2013 40 redundancies were averted: a mobility procedure will be considered to start a solidarity contract with an average reduction of 35% of the working hours. And thanks to a discussion on the prospects and the industrial plan, the unions had led the company to confirm the investments and to give guarantees until mid-2015. Checks were also provided on what is produced in the other European plants to prevent Tenneco from carrying elsewhere characteristic works of the Bolognese site.
