Union accuses Nokia of "slavery"

Cartel Alfa’s president Bogdan Hossu said that the long working hours at the factory in the town of Jucu were "a new form of slavery".
 
The Romanian trade union federation Cartel Alfa has accused Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia of extending working hours beyond the limit allowed under Romanian law.

Cartel Alfa’s president Bogdan Hossu said that the long working hours at the factory in the town of Jucu were "a new form of slavery". Production is to be transferred there from its plant in Bochum, which itself is to be closed.

Hossu said that Nokia were trying to get around a law which limits the working week to 48 hours. Romania’s Labour Minister Paul Pacurasu said a few days ago that Nokia had asked him to make the law more flexible.

Nokia’s Jucu factory began production on 11 February with 350 employees. 3,500 are expected to be on the payroll by the end of 2009. The European Union is investigating whether Nokia’s Romanian operation has been illegally subsidised, and is reported to be particularly interested in looking into plans to relieve the company of property tax.

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