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2 years ago

May 3, 2022

CLare Dominic

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Anger and distrust prevail among Fokker employees,

Anger, distrust, uncertainty and many questions still dominate fokker employees. Trade union FNV updated them on Tuesday about the result that is on the table after ‘tough negotiations’. The Fokker factory in Helmond, where more than 300 people work, will disappear. The production of landing gear is moved to Papendrecht.

The employees now have the choice, go to Papendrecht or look for another job. But there is a lot of mistrust among the employees about the way in which that should go, as the union also noted on Tuesday.

According to the union, the wildcat strike of a few weeks ago did help at the negotiating table. But the lack of clear planning about the relocation of the factory causes a lot of uncertainty and mistrust among the employees. The first machines have already moved to Papendrecht.

“I’ve been working at Fokker for so long, I’m not leaving that departure scheme behind.”

“We just don’t know when our position will expire,” Fokker employees said tuesday after the catch-up session with the unions in a Helmond community center. “And as long as your position does not expire, you cannot use the departure scheme.”

According to the employees, Fokker can ‘hold’ them until the end of 2023. “It is a very uncertain future that we are now facing,” the employees say. Looking for another job is not always an option. “I’ve been working at Fokker for so long, I really don’t just leave that departure scheme behind,” says a Fokker veteran. In the meantime, the motivation in the Fokker factory in Helmond is hard to find. “I think production has never been so low.”

“People could vote against the plan out of gut feeling.”

Trade union FNV received critical questions about the provisional agreement on Tuesday. “We are used to that,” says Ron Peters of FNV Metaal. “And it’s understandable, but in our eyes this is the best result we could achieve.” The union is very worried about whether the staff will also agree to the preliminary result of the negotiations.

“People could vote against this plan out of their anger and gut feeling,” Peters says. “That is very understandable, but we have told people that there is a good chance that they will only receive a legal transition payment from Fokker. The results of the negotiations are broader.”

“The trust is just gone.”

People were also worried about their future if they did move to Papendrecht. “We really don’t feel that our position there is safe in the coming years, that trust is just gone,” says an employee.

Fokker wants to give compensation to people who live further than an hour away from Papendracht. “But there are a number of people who really live at 59 minutes or 58 minutes, they don’t get anything extra.” On 10 May, Fokker employees will officially vote on the plan.