Spain Business
Nissan workers take to the streets of Barcelona
By h.b.
Nov 12, 2008 - 8:07 AM

More than 1,000 Nissan workers in Cataluña protested in Barcelona yesterday to demonstrate at redundancy plans in the region. The march from the Plaza España to Plaza Cerdà, turned violent with eggs, tomatoes and stones being thrown at the offices of the company in the city.

It comes after Nissan announced its application to lose 1,288 workers before the end of the year, and 392 more in September next year.

The marchers finally dispersed without the intervention of the police, but not after they had shouted slogans against Prime Minister Zapatero, Catalan President Montilla, and the head of Nissan Ibérica, Fumiaki Matsumoto.

Nissan has justified the job losses given falling sales, the high cost of labour with salaries of 29,000 €, and also the high 8% absentee rate.