[EN-SEA] Unions Rejects STX Europe Plans

By : Andrew Spurrier

UNIONS at France’s STX shipyard at Saint Nazaire have rejected a plan destined to limit lay-offs and redundancies at the yard next year.

The plan provided, notably, for 326,000 hours of training among the 2,400-strong workforce at the yard to prepare it for redeployment in new sectors of activity, particularly offshore.

STX France had been expecting to get the agreement of the unions to the new plan last week despite the opposition of the CGT union confederation.

The company’s hopes of obtaining the necessary 30% support for the plan were dashed at the last minute, however, when the CFDT confederation changed position and decided to oppose the plan.

The CFDT explained its change of position by its wish to alert the workforce to the real threat facing certain section of the workforce despite the fact that the new plan was an improvement on the existing one, which is due to run until the end of this year.

STX France said that the fact it had not obtained the agreement of the unions did not mean that there were would automatically be lay-offs and redundancies at the yard.

Spokesman Eric Breux acknowledged, however, that there was now less work at the yard than at the start of this year when the current plan was introduced.

“We are disappointed but not discouraged,” he said. “The principal focus of the company is on taking new orders.”

He acknowledged nevertheless that the yard had no firm prospects in view at the moment. Talks are continuing with MSC Cruises on the possibility of a new double cruiseship order and there are hopes that Brittany Ferries could choose the yard shortly for the construction of a ferry vessel.

An order for a projection and command vessel from the Russian naval high command is another prospect.

The Saint Nazaire yard has already been awarded a contract for one such vessel by the French navy and is hoping that, with French government backing, Russian interest in the vessel can be converted into a firm order.

Source : Lloyd’s List, 20.10.09.