The Navalistul trade union on Friday morning asked for the intervention of the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands so that the management of the Mangalia shipyard takes responsibility and finds solutions to save the largest shipyard in Romania.
„The Navalistul trade union, a representative trade union for the Damen Shipyards Mangalia SA, with the objective of representing and defending the rights of employees at this shipyard, is addressing this firm request so that Damen Holding BV takes responsibility, as shareholder and holder of the operational management of the largest shipyard in Romania, and urgently intervenes to save it. (…) We ask the Dutch state, together with the Damen group, to identify in discussions with representatives of the 2 Mai SA shipyard and the Romanian state the best option for resolving contractual, financial and legal disputes, in order to save the shipyard in Mangalia and prevent an irrevocable economic and social disaster. The relaunch of the Mangalia shipyard is the responsibility of the two shareholders and requires their urgent involvement!” states the open letter sent by the union to embassy.
According to the same source, the shipyard’s activity has been suspended for a long period of time, with most of the employees being on technical unemployment for 8 months. „The company is insolvent, with major debts and without certain financing possibilities to be able to contract new shipbuilding orders. Nothing is being built in this shipyard, and its activity is paralyzed,” the same press release states.
Unionists say that, in order to avoid collapse, the Mangalia shipyard must resume its activity urgently. „Everyone involved loses: shareholders, employees, the local and national economy. It is unacceptable that, due to poor management by Damen, this strategic objective is being abandoned to economic and social collapse,” the letter also states.
„A truce between the two shareholders is necessary to allow a period of stability, in which a plan to reorganize and switch on the shipyard can be implemented,” the said document also states.
The unionists also demand the cancellation of the restructuring plan through collective layoffs and the implementation of a coherent plan for the company’s recovery, not through staff cuts.
The Navalistul trade union will organize a protest in front of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism on Friday.
