Strike looms as euro-note printers face lay-off threat

Date: 05/07/01

By John Shelley

CURRENCY printers across the EU are taking industrial action which could throw the launch of euro notes into disarray.

Printers' unions have told their members to "withdraw their cooperation" in working the extra hours necessary as central banks across Europe struggle to churn out the 16.5 billion notes due to be ready for the first day of circulation in six months' time.

The printers say they are being asked to work frantically in the run-up to the release of the currency, but that the reward for many will be redundancy after 1 January. "It's totally unreasonable and totally unacceptable," said Tony Dubbins, president of UNI Europa Graphical. The group is the umbrella organisation that represents banknote printers across the EU.

Only 4.8 billion notes are to be printed in 2002, with this number possibly falling even further in following years. With a corresponding drop in printing work, the unions say as many as 7,000 jobs are at risk.

They are considering strike action in the autumn - a crucial time for preparing for the new currency. "The European graphical unions are not prepared to continue to encourage our members to cooperate in the very extensive way that they have been doing in providing 24-hour working, seven days a week in order to meet the date," added Dubbins.

The unions are demanding that the ECB set up a central redundancy plan to pay for the re-training of printers who are laid off and to guarantee them a minimum amount of severance pay. "If the European Central Bank does not revise its position then the graphical unions will be considering what further steps to take in addition," said Dubbins, who has a reputation as a hard-liner in his native UK.

Alain Descamps, chair of the standing committee of European Central Bank unions, said: "Printers are ready to show that they are here, that they have a voice, that they are prepared to defend their jobs."

A spokesman for the European Central Bank refused to comment except to say that the bank was negotiating with the unions.

European Trade Union Confederation Secretary-General Emilio Gabalio insists it is the responsibility of EU finance ministers to make sure printers are given a fair deal.

Currency printers across the EU are taking industrial action which could throw the launch of euro notes into disarray.