Trelleborg goes on four-day week

Deborah Caruana

Oct 18th 2008, 13:26

@Franco Farrugia
Like you I love education and I am a graduate. If it was for me I would continue studying forever (if money could permit), however just remember that not everyone is like you and me... some people are good to sit down in an office and others are good to do manual work... everyone is needed

Since you have said that you have paid for training then good luck for you - it means that you can afford it..I would love to do an MBA but I cant with the loan and everything...

Just remember that we need every type of work for Malta to be a smart island and not office jobs only...

And if it was not for Trelleborg who for the last 10, 20 ,30 years has produced O'Rings then your car might not have those "black, plastic rings"!!! so why dont you thank the employees instead of telling them what they should do....

Eric Camilleri

Oct 18th 2008, 11:42

I am not a Trelleborg employee but would seriously like to meet face to face those commenting on here airing their drivel about what Trelleborg employees and management should do.

Andrew Cumbo

Oct 17th 2008, 20:48

Some comments are really annoying, and some think that we are just a number.
The truth is that the management is looking forward to return to normal operations. It was never said by the management that he is going to close doors. And we at Trelleborg heard the same statement from the top management together with the GWU section representative in a meeting held for us all. It will be unfair to deflect a statement for personal intent without taking in consideration how it will affect others. In this case we and our families.
This is a domino effect that hit our company. People around the world are not buying cars due this economic slowdown. All leading car manufacturers are fully stocked with cars. And this is the reason we have a low order book. How can we and for who keep producing our ‘O’ rings if people are not buying cars?
Apart from politics government must now be much more aware, that if he will introduce the proposed electricity tariffs, we and others that work the Manufacture Industry will face serious repercussions which may result not in less working hours but in redundancies

Peter Azzopardi

Oct 17th 2008, 16:39

@Karl, You are without feelings. Maybe you have some good money saved so when you are training you can use some of it to live with. I have to struggle to live and have to pay bills and buy food, pay licence for my car and for the VRT. I never expect companies to be charitable with us workers but get paid for the work we do and the loyalty we offer.So you think that all the companies like Trelleborg,ST,Baxter,Playmobile etc etc should close and all the workers!!!!!! what happens to them and there FAMILIES! We at Trelleborg produce 'O' rings for cars mainly and I don't know if you have a car without any 'O' rings in it's engine? And we are very competitive in our work and the 'o' rings we produce are used by the major car companies.So don't just show for which political party you side but be realistic and learn from Trelleborg workers which are working on a four day week instead of being selfish and see with your eyes the power of the solidarity between us workers at Trelleborg.

Ethelbert Schembri

Oct 17th 2008, 09:12

@Karl: f you don’t know what is happening at Trelleborg and around us all .

The company still needs all workers because they know their value. The fact is that at the moment the order book is down because of external factors . Trelleborg didn’t put workers on redundancy and opted for the 4 day week for that reason !!!

There are companies in Malta that are struggling and the government is trying hard to find the way to give them the last hit and finish them !!!

I can’t comprehend that but when I remind myself who is governing , well that is in the nature of a right wing party !!

Karl Abela

Oct 17th 2008, 07:51

@Peter Azzopardi

If you want our companies to be competitive then don't expect them to be charitable institutions.

But what you can do is LEAVE THE COMPANY IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT. You don't have to stay there and wait for the government or the union to come and baby feed you. This is a competitive and fast world and you need to look forward and move on. You are spoilt for choice on this island. If you need some form of training then go get it. The government is offering any type of training for free such as 'my potential'. So please don't vicitimise yourself before trying your share of effort. The reality is that the world is changing at a very fast rate and people with the laissez fair attitude are being left behind. Demand for some industries is falling whilst demand for other industries is rapidly growing. Diverse yourself if you want to be part of the world. If our country is to offer hi tech services (which is all we have to offer) then we need to learn new skills just like the younger generation is doing.

G.Zammit

Oct 17th 2008, 01:15

Ahhhhhh was Trelleborg one of the big factories that Dr.A.Sant mentioned on his list of factories that will close down in the future?????????
Menrad was on the list, but no one believed it. But hey he was right, Menrad is Gone.
I work there for many years and ended up jobless, from the sounds of the Trelleborg story, sorry to say, looks like you guys are heading that way also. VIVA PN! pfffffffft

Ethelbert Schembri

Oct 17th 2008, 00:12

It is hard for the workers with the management of Trelleborg and the GWU to face this situation , so everyone must respect at least that !!

Everyone at Trelleborg is a professional in his work and the problems of the company are not from within but from the situation of the global recession .

The management and the GWU are in constant consultation to avoid any more damage and to try to improve the situation as soon as possible .

The only sad news is that our government is the only one in the world that is saying that the recession will not hit us and so is not doing anything to help the internal economy and industry .

Our GOV is only interested in the Immigration Pact , I m not saying that is not important but if anyone followed the Maltese news this past 2 days they will notice that only this pact is mentioned the other GOVs and news agencies around Europe focused on the economy !?!?!?

May I ask what is wrong ??

Government of Malta the internal economy and industry needs help , so wake up or soon will be too late !!

d.attard

Oct 16th 2008, 21:35

@Franco Farrugia

Thank you for your reaction.

I suggest, dear sir, that your comments ignore the basis of my reasoning.

I opine that the maxim:

Unless workers retrain as a matter of course, they will never be able to continue working

is very often an abuse of the said worker.

No where do I suggest that an individual should stop developing himself/herself throughout his/her lifetime.

I believe that ultimate fulfillment is achieved through his/her ongoing development after his/her basic needs (Maslow) are fully satisfied through income earned from a steady job.

You present your ongoing development as a counter argument to my 'opinion'

I therefore have to ask if your highly commendable ongoing development is influenced by a need to keep finding new employment.

If it is not, then I suggest that you have, in good faith may I add, missed my point completely.

Re: talking politics, I fail to understand your point. My impression is that we are here all exchanging views in a process that influences to degrees decision-making for the benefit of society.

That is politics, we are all engaged in its process, and so, frankly speaking, I fail to understand the spirit of your comment.

Peter Azzopardi

Oct 16th 2008, 20:48

I have been working with Trelleborg and I can say that last time that we worked on a 4day week it was back in 2001.I am worried not about working on a 4day week even if its very difficult to live with 20% less from your wage and all the bills coming and the cost of living but about the situation if the government doesn't help the industries on the water and electricity bills.That would be a great deal all the families of the workers of Trelleborg would have to pay their bills and remain possibly without a job even though the Prime Minister before the election promised that the jobs will be chasing us! I would like to mention is that the G.W.U and the management are working in the same direction to possibly go back to normal working hours as soon as possible and that all the workers will be informed about the situation of their jobs every fortnight.

Bradly Reece

Oct 16th 2008, 20:40

I fully agree with Mr.Cumbo, and i am not biased in anyway whatsoever, every company gets its up & downs when things are going smoothly its all honky dori, but the chips are down or bad, one just cannot blame the employer, he or she are the ones who are taking a risk and are most likely to lose - be it production, orders and shares. This is a global problem and no doubt there will be more to follow, so don't be surprised if other employers opt for the same solution to save their company's from bankruptcies and further redundancies.Its rather unfortunate that these guys have to do a 4 day week, thank their lucky star its not worse, as i already mentioned, i as an ex boss used to go through many sleepless nights in the past, and i dare say these bosses have the same problem working out a solution on how to survive this present economic crunch., So i say no one is to blame here we're in together just like 1940's. grin and bear it till its over and just make do with what you got, i know of others who are much worst of.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 16th 2008, 18:26

I trained myself three times over. I am in my mid-40s and still sit for exams, in Malta and abroad.
I spent thousands of liri and euros on my education and training and never enjoyed free education - always paid for it, in Malta and abroad.
So, Mr d attard, continue talking politics till you become blue in the face and continue sitting down in a corner and do nothing to improve your lot.

I think otherwise.

I suggest otherwise.

d.attard

Oct 16th 2008, 18:15

When workers themselves repeat cliches coined by managers-of- power like:

Unless workers retrain, they will never be able to continue working
Gone are the days when one gets a job for life.
No one owes us a living ...

I become convinced that the upgrading of slavisation is truely complete.

I wonder how these modern 'slaves' decide which 'new' skills they should obtain. Perhaps the nearly 2 million jobless in the UK will eventually get a new job when they obtain some new magical skill?

I wonder why modern slaves think that managers-of-power do not owe them a living when these demand and secure absolute power on resources.

Have not the modern slaves heard about demand and supply and how the managers of power stifle what they term as wage- inflation through high unemployment?

Do not modern slaves know what efficiency means?

It means them working as many hours as possible for as low a salary as possible.

I suppose modern slaves will soon extol efficiency as the way to compete with the Indias and China's of this world.

With all the vision we have in piloting our nation through recession, we might as well be as blind as bats.

l Galea

Oct 16th 2008, 17:53

Franco Farrugia
Retrain if possible and capable, but do you think that work is running after the workers as they were led to believe some years ago?

M Borg
When the going is good the employers pocket vast amounts of money.
Good luck to them.
But when the going is not so good the workers pay the penalty.

Andrew Cumbo

Oct 16th 2008, 17:46

@ J. Farrugia
Such comments on our company make me and my colleagues very frustrated. It is a lie to say that this situation happens every year in our company. I confirm what I am saying, because I have been working at Trelleborg Sealing Solutions for the last 15 years. Like every company we have ups and downs, but for sure our company had many more satisfactory moments from what we are currently experiencing. And this is witnessed from the 47 years that Trelleborg has been operating in Malta, when at that time it was named Malta Rubber. If a company doesn’t achieve good results, sure it wouldn’t operate for all these years. Also how can you say that we cannot plan our future, when among us we have employees with 35 and 40 years of experience.
It’s a pity for us to work on 4 day-week basis, but knowing what is happening in other automotive companies in US and Europe, I prefer to work on four-day week, instead of being redundant like these companies are doing.

Jimmy Borg

Oct 16th 2008, 17:45

@J. Farrugia
Dream on man, dream on. Of course in theory you're absolutely right, but in practice it's a totally different kettle of fish.

J Farrugia

Oct 16th 2008, 16:55

@ Jimmy Borg - it seems that I have to agree with Franco Farrugia and tell you that you are not living in our world. Unless the workers, me included, are capable of getting all the opportunities that the global market can put in front of us, and retrain, like the GWU is also suggesting, they will never be able to continue working. Remember that gone are the days when one gets a job for life. Not even prisoners. No one owes us a living unless we strive for it and take care of it. Ridiculing retraining, and diversification of job opportunities will get us nowhere, not even the sarcasm.

Jimmy Borg

Oct 16th 2008, 16:39

@Franco Farrugia
You live in a dream world my friend. Re-training, re-education and diversification of skills are all excellent attributes and should be encouraged. However in the real world of industrial workers - especially the old timers at Trelleborg - it's not that easy. In fact it's very difficult and very very few workers take up that option. Surely even if they do re-train themselves, your assumption "so that they can pick and choose which job to do and they can be masters of their own destinies" is also the stuff of dreams (and politicians).

M Borg

Oct 16th 2008, 16:24

@J Farrugia
With all respect I think the company has a social conscience, since it is employing the employees at above minimum wage and in acceptable working conditions – that is social conscience, not running a company at a loss just to keep employees employed. It is about time to also start seeing things from the point of view of the employer, whilst most accuse employers as being greedy, selfish etc, the employers are the ones that risk their money take up the worries..and for that risk there are the rewards.
So may I suggest that before you start to accuse the company of not having a social conscience think about the persons that are providing you a job in the first place

victor vella

Oct 16th 2008, 16:20

J Farrugia, Can you name 1 single private employer who does have social conscience these days.Gone my friend are the days when the employer trained you and took care of you as you were an investment.Gone are the days when the worker was friend and when the floor workers were like a family.Wake up this is 2008 when China is doing all the manufacturing

robert caruana

Oct 16th 2008, 15:55

Franco Farrugia
Remember that not all human beings have the intellect you may have! good luck to you if you have some!

Bradly Reece

Oct 16th 2008, 15:55

Yes quite right my friends, but this short time work doesn't only happens in Malta, i still remember the time in 1973 i think, when i was on a 3 day week for a long time,no overtime whatso ever., Then we felt the crunch, when one is used to earning a certain salary or a wage and then :BANG: a drop in wages, now people who had a mortage and lent say 3 times their earnings were all in dip problems with the building socieites., unfortunitly History tend to repeat itself and we are seeing an unfortunite repeat Globally -= which is Bad News All wround and this is going to effect every man in the street Malta, The Uk, Germany, Italy you name it we shall all bear the brant till it starts to recover very slow and gradual hopefully.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 16th 2008, 15:42

Then, if the workers feel that their future is uncertain, they should use up their time and get qualified, or trained, or re-trained. Let workers diversify their trade and abilities, so that they can pick and choose which job to do and they can be masters of their own destinies.

We will not get anywhere by pitying the workers. But we will have made huge strides and beat the problems we are going through, by re-training, re-education and diversification of skills. That is the answer!

J Farrugia

Oct 16th 2008, 15:28

This happens every year at this company - when business is low, the workers have to pay the consequences, when it is brisk, more workers are engaged. Employees are discharged every year. Does this company - formerly Malta Rubber, then Dowty O'Rings, now Trelleborg, have any social conscience? I pity its workers who cannot plan their future.