ESSEN (dpa-AFX) - Whistles, placards and lots of flags: Several thousand employees of the industrial group Thyssenkrupp demonstrated in Essen on Thursday for more say and transparency in important company decisions. "A restructuring of Thyssenkrupp AG against the people will not succeed," said Group Works Council Chairman Tekin Nasikkol. There must be an end to "the course against co-determination". IG Metall had called for the rally. Group CEO Miguel López also spoke at the rally. The union estimated the number of participants at 5,000, the police at 4,500.

Among other things, employee representatives accuse the Board of Management led by Chairman López of not involving them sufficiently and at an early stage in important decisions in the past. The reason for the protest rally directly in front of the Group headquarters was a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Group holding company on the same day.

The main focus of attention at the moment is the Thyssenkrupp steel division, which is struggling with the weak economy and cheap imports. A significant reduction in steel production capacity is planned at the main site in Duisburg, which will involve job cuts. Details are not yet known. At the same time, the costly introduction of more climate-friendly green steel production is underway.

In addition, the EPCG holding company owned by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky is to acquire a 20 percent stake in the steel division. The planned strategic partnership is to focus primarily on energy supplies. The Supervisory Board was due to vote on the investment on Thursday. The EPCG share is to be increased to 50 percent in the future and the steel division is to become independent.

Thyssenkrupp has around 100,000 employees worldwide, of which around 27,000 work in the steel division alone. Of these, around 13,000 work in Duisburg alone.

Head of the Works Council: "We will not be sold on the cheap"

"We have nothing against billionaires as long as they bring money with them and invest in steel," said Nasikkol. However, the employees do not know what Mr. Kretinsky wants. "Does he want to make money with us, or does he want to make money from us?" They are open to good solutions. "But we will not be sold on the cheap."

Nasikkol once again demanded compliance with collective agreements, the renunciation of compulsory redundancies, site guarantees for all locations and further investments in more climate-friendly steel production as part of the announced restructuring of the steel division. Almost all of the steel division's sites are located in NRW.

Thyssenkrupp CEO López promises "active social partnership"

CEO Miguel López said: "We want quality steel to continue to be produced in Duisburg in the future." However, thyssenkrupp needs a steel division that can manage its business under its own steam and that can also invest in the green transformation itself. Because the proportion of energy used in climate-friendly steel production will increase significantly in the future, the steel business needs strong energy partners. EPCG's 20 percent stake in the steel business is "an important step towards making our steel business powerful again".

In order to secure steel production in Duisburg in the long term, Steel Europe must be made fit for the future. "Because only a successful company can offer secure and sustainable jobs in the long term." It will not work without cuts. "But if we do nothing now, we risk far more."

"I can assure you of one thing: In everything we do, the social partnership will remain in place," López continued. "We want to create socially acceptable solutions in constructive cooperation with the employee representatives." There should continue to be no compulsory redundancies. "But we must act to ensure that steel from Duisburg continues to have a future." There were numerous heckles during López's speech.

Minister Laumann calls for no compulsory redundancies

North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister of Labor Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) appealed to the management of Thyssenkrupp to work together with the employees in the planned restructuring of the steel division. The path to green steel must be developed in partnership, said Laumann. "And if you want to develop something in partnership, then you are well advised to start by writing a few sentences on a piece of paper that apply. And of course, the first thing that has to be there is No redundancies for operational reasons." It should also state that collective agreements must be observed. There also has to be a plan "on how to remain a steel location and with what measures, and how it can be implemented and financed".

Of course, the social partnership is not always a fair-weather event, said Laumann. "But when you are in a difficult phase, transparency is the prerequisite for trust. Without transparency, trust can never develop."/tob/DP/ngu