Workers fight back as their demands continue to be rejected by management
BERLIN, GERMANY, 3 APRIL 2023 – After a mass layoff and ceasing operations in Berlin, CEO Raimund Rassilier has not yet returned to the negotiation table with the fired workers of EcoCarrier. In a continuing effort to obtain severance pay and other basic considerations from management, the workers will protest in front of Rewe on Rollbergstr. 59 on Easter Saturday to pressure it to cease using EcoCarrier in its operations across Germany.
In December, a long struggle with management ended in mass dismissals for the workers of EcoCarrier. The workers stood by the company despite being endangered by malfunctioning equipment and taking on crucial administrative tasks after site supervisors left the company after experiencing burnout in the face of insurmountably bad working conditions. Having promised a brighter future for EcoCarrier employees in November, the company delayed written contracts, paid workers irregularly, and illegaly deregistered them from health insurance. Shortly after a Betriebsrat election, Rassilier announced to the workers that the Berlin branch would be shut down.
After rescheduling 7 court hearings, Rassillier finally came to negotiate with the workers and their representatives with the trade union FAU Berlin. While this negotiation at times looked hopeful, in the end, no commitment was made to the workers, and Rassilier has canceled the second round of negotiations. He has yet to confirm when negotiations will resume. The dismissed riders continue to fight for wages and severance pay in the courts and at an upcoming demonstration.
Timeline
• 09.01.2023 – First demand letter to management sent, addressing the problems in the company and demanding severance pay for all terminated workers and a raise in salary for the remaining workers.
• 16.01.2023 – Second letter to management sent, announcing that workers are now organizing under FAU Berlin, addressing that we did not receive an answer from them and that we will make our case public.
• 10.02.2023 – Third letter to the management sent, including information about the intention to inform the public. • 15.02.2023 – Official press statement sent.
• 16.02.2023 – First court support action.
• 24.02.2023 – Larger court support & demo/rally
• Held court hearings with court support from colleagues on site 02.03, 07.03., 13.03., 14.03, 28.03., 30.03.
Pressmaterial
• Radiointerview at radiounrecht FM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8US4fF4JQE
• Interview at junge Welt: https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/446098.blut-f%C3%BCr-profite-wir-haben-unsere-gesundheit-aufs-spiel-gesetzt.html
Upcoming events – please join us!
• 08.04.2023 – Demo in front of REWE next to the Rollberg distribution center 13:00 Rollbergstr. 59, 12053 Berlin / Neukölln 16:15 Picnic at Tempelhofer Feld
• Upcoming court hearings with court support from colleagues on site on 12.04., 20.06., 22.06.
We invite you to attend the upcoming events and are happy to offer interviews both at the events and at any other time convenient. Thank you very much for your kind attention.