German magazine: Nokia factory in Bochum made EUR 134 million in profit last year

European labour union meeting demands that Nokia reverse decision to close Bochum plant

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The German financial magazine Capital writes that the Nokia mobile phone factory in the city of Bochum earned a profit of EUR 134 million last year.
      Quoting confidential document sources, the magazine calculates that each Bochum factory employee generated profits in the tens of thousands of euros.
      Nokia's entire German unit made a profit of EUR 246 million. In addition to Bochum, Nokia has operations in four other German cities - Ulm, Dusseldorf, Munich, and Frankfurt.
     
According to the magazine, the management of the Bochum factory had calculated that with an additional investment of EUR 14 million, the plant could be as profitable and efficient as the company's factory in Hungary - in spite of the fact that the German workers are paid EUR 28.70 an hour, while a Hungarian Nokia factory worker makes just EUR 6.90 an hour.
      The magazine says that its source is an internal memo of Nokia's German unit concerning rearrangements of the business operations of Nokia GmbH.
      The article brought immediate and strong reactions from German politicians.
      Green Party leader Reinhard Bütikofer denounced Nokia for what he saw as the company's "blatant greed".
     
Representatives of the European labour unions gathering in Brussels on Wednesday demanded that Nokia cancel its decision to close its plant in Bochum.
      Making the demand were 20 representatives from eight European Union countries. The measure was also supported by representatives from Hungary and Romania, even though Nokia is moving its production from Germany to those countries.
     
"We do not want European-wide strikes, but we are opposed to the closing of the Bochum factory, and the way that it was done", said Peter Scherrer, General Secretary of the European Metalworkers' Federation.
      European labour unionists also want to examine whether or not Nokia's decision violates existing contracts. EMF plans to inform all Nokia employees by letter or e-mail about planned actions.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Construction of Nokia’s new factory in Romania troubled by delays (28.1.2008)
  Nokia´s Kallasvuo apologises to Germans (25.1.2008)
  Anti-Nokia sentiment unites Ruhr region in massive protest (23.1.2008)
  Nokia shutting down plant in Germany, moving manufacture to Romania (16.1.2008)

Links:
  European Metalworkers´ Federation press release 30/01/2008: Disconnected workers at Nokia declare lack of faith in their company

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