Large Scale Central

What about the LGB employees...?

Hi all,

From today’s Nürnberger Nachrichten

NN_2007_04_14 said:
... [b]Angst, Ärger und Frust[/b]

LGB-Mitarbeiter fühlen sich von Leitung allein gelassen

Sie sind die eigentlich Betroffenen im Fall Lehmann-Groß-Bahn (LGB): die rund 140 Beschäftigten des Nürnberger Modellbahnherstellers. Während hinter den Kulissen fieberhaft um das Überleben ihres Unternehmens gekämpft wird, fühlen sich viele von ihrem Arbeitgeber mit ihren Zukunftsängsten allein gelassen.

NÜRNBERG - «Die Stimmung ist am Boden», fasst Georg Müller (Name von der Redaktion geändert), langjähriger LGB-Mitarbeiter, die Gemütslage seiner Kollegen zusammen. Seit Wochen ruht die Produktion im Stammwerk an der Saganer Straße, müssen die Beschäftigten zu Hause bleiben. Ein Monatsgehalt ist bereits nicht ausgezahlt, und zurzeit sieht es so aus, als wenn die Belegschaft auch zum kommenden 15. des Monats keinen Lohn sehen wird. «Viele von uns drücken große finanzielle Sorgen», sagt Müller, «eine Kollegin hat mir gerade erzählt, dass sie ihre Kinder zu den Nachbarn zum Essen schickt.»

Angst, Ärger und nicht zuletzt Frust machen sich breit. Vor allem über die Informationspolitik der eigenen Firmenleitung. «Von denen kommt kein einziges Wort. Wir erfahren alles aus der Tageszeitung», so Müller. Im Nachhinein sei es wohl ein Fehler gewesen, dass man keinen Betriebsrat installiert habe. «Doch von oben hat es ja immer geheißen, wir seien alle eine große Familie. Das hätte man so vielleicht nicht glauben sollen.» Nicht einmal Gewerkschafts-Mitglied seien die meisten.

Den Glauben, dass die Rettungsbemühungen von Insolvenzverwalter Steffen Goede und Wirtschaftsreferent Roland Fleck doch noch von Erfolg gekrönt sind, mag man an der Saganer Straße jedoch nicht aufgeben. «Hans Rudolf Wöhrl ist unser Hoffnungsträger», setzt Müller auf die fränkische Lösung - die einzige, bei der der Produktionsstandort wohl erhalten bliebe. Dafür sei man auch zu Zugeständnissen bereit. Schon zu Vor-Insolvenz-Zeiten habe man schließlich freiwillig auf Weihnachts- und Urlaubsgeld verzichtet.

Goede lobte derweil die Haltung der Mitarbeiter als «vorbildlich» und versprach, dass man bis zum letzten Moment und um jede Chance für den Standort kämpfen werde. «Die Drähte laufen allseits heiß.» Natürlich werde auch am Wochenende verhandelt. Ein Ergebnis gebe es aber voraussichtlich erst in der nächsten Woche. GREGOR LE CLAIRE
14.4.2007

© NÜRNBERGER NACHRICHTEN


my translation

HJ translates said:
...

Trepidation, aggravation and frustration.

LGB employees feel abandoned by their boss.

They are the people who feel it the most at LGB, the 140 employees of the model railway producer. While there is feverish struggle behind the scene for the survival of the company, many of the employees feel abandoned by the employer and left to their worries about the future.

Nürnberg - “The mood is at rock bottom” that’s how Georg Müller (not his real name), a longtime employee at LGB, summarizes the present mood amongst the colleagues. Production ceased weeks ago at the factory on Saganer Strasse, the employees are laid off. One monthly salary is already in arrears and at the moment it looks like the workforce won’t be paid on the 15th. “Many of us have considerable financial difficulties”
mentions Müller " one of me colleagues just told me that her children are being fed at the neighbours."

Trepidation, aggravation and, not in last place, frustration are widespread. Especially regarding the information policy of the management. “We hear not a single word from them. We get all our information from the daily papers.” says Müller. In hindsight it was probably a mistake not to have elected a workers council. “But the word from the top was always . That possibly shouldn’t have been believed.” Most of the employees are not even union members.

The believe, that the rescue effort of insolvency trustee Steffen Goede and Roland Fleck, head of the city’s business relations department, will be successful, is still strong on Saganer Strasse. “Our hopes are vested in Hans Rudolf Wöhrl.” mentions Müller who counts on the Franconian solution - the only one which would preserve the jobs on location. For that one would be ready for concessions. Even during the pre-insolvency period one was foregoing the customary vacation and Christmas pay.

Goede in the meantime praises the attitude of the employees as “exemplary” and promised that one would fight until the last moment and with every means for LGB remaining in Nürnberg.
“All the wires are running hot”. Naturally the negotiations continue through the weekend. A result will most likely only be available next week.

Gregor Le Claire


The employees are the only ones I feel sorry for in this mess. Everyone else is playing their little games and charades; meanwhile the employees are left in the lurch!

Now that is Sad . Children being fed by the neighbors. Is Germany very big on unions ?

Bryan Johnson said:
Now that is Sad . Children being fed by the neighbors. Is Germany very big on unions ?
Yes they are, but I dont think that will help this situation at all.

The more I read about this the more I see only 2 outcomes, either Marklin gets it, and thats literally the end of LGB as we know it, or the LGBoA/Wohrl solution, which might, just MIGHT, save the companies existing employee structure. Either way the employees are getting the screws put to them. Pretty bad the way they have been left swinging in the wind. After the Marklin debacle last year I would think the unions would be loathe to deal with Marklin again.

Very sad indeed, but not surprising. The employees are always the ones who are hurt the most in these deals, and can least afford it.

Ray Dunakin said:
Very sad indeed, but not surprising. The employees are always the ones who are hurt the most in these deals, and can least afford it.
But they keep voting for the politicians who let it happen.

Welcome to capitalism…American style. We’ve been getting screwed by businesses and politicians for years…

TonyWalsham said:
Ray Dunakin said:
Very sad indeed, but not surprising. The employees are always the ones who are hurt the most in these deals, and can least afford it.
But they keep voting for the politicians who let it happen.
Tony.

Are you stating that the politicians run the banks who got together and called the loans due on E,P. Lehann. Now that will raises some questions.

It’s the other way around. The banks (as well as big business) run the politicians. They become puppets on a string for corporate agendas.

Ken,
I will take your response as a joke and not a feeble attempt by a red box brigader to score a cheap point by grasping at straws.

I am saying the employees who get shafted, keep on voting for the same politicians who let the businesses shaft them in the first place.

Banks or otherwise.

I was simply asking a question.

“One large family”, eh? Sure, now pull the other one. I’ll keep my union card, thanks.

Ken Fillar said:
I was simply asking a question.
Kenny,

I don’t get it, what was your question?

Dave Healy said:
"One large family", eh? Sure, now pull the other one. I'll keep my union card, thanks.
Dave ... to each his own, but I've never belonged to a union, lived most of my life in right to work states (Texas, New Mexico) and only had 1 employment contract in 34 years and it didn't work the way I thought it should. All of my jobs have been work at will and pay for performance.

My last employer (25 years) has one of the “worst/best” records of union relations/negotiations in history (depending on which side you were on)and the unions inablity or unwillingness to deal with changing technology and business environment has damned the company to mediocrity over the last 20 years causing an unneccessary and unfortunate continuing scenario of layoffs year after year.

The union work force has dropped from 195,000 to approximately 135,000 since 1999 and will go down again later this year, because the company is not hitting it’s earnings goals in the increasingly competitive telcom business.

Some would say the changes have been or are inevitable, but based on my history I’d say bunk, the lack of flexibility caused by union rules and in some cases old school management that did not see opportunity in competitive products or lower cost business practices causes the failure.

In LGB’s case which ever it was, it has put the employees in a bind and unfortunately I doubt the “Franconian” solution will be able to put a good end to a continuing competitive positiioning and cost of production issue over even the near term.

A union card meais nothing but a nice memento if there is no company that can pay the worker to start with or in the long run. Fair wages are a requirement, but what’s fair?

mark

Yes Dave Healy , I agree , I kept my card and worked 41 years non stop , except for a 3 month strike , and a month lock out .
All those dues were worth it , now in retirement , with a pension and health care provided .
It is America , and you can work Union or not , its YOUR choice !

IBEW :wink: