Displacement of Hungarian Workers in Budapest Factory Sparks Outrage

Published: November 30 2023

A controversy has arisen in Budapest over the displacement of Hungarian workers at Continental's Makó factory. The factory is laying off domestic workers to make room for foreign workers, which has sparked outrage among the local labour union.

According to the local labour union, factory management has failed to communicate the extent and details of the layoffs. The dismissals, which are not considered a collective redundancy, are set to affect approximately 25 workers each in November and December. This lack of transparency has further fueled the backlash.

The dismissals at the Continental's Makó factory have exclusively targeted Hungarian workers, raising concerns about favoritism towards foreign workers. The reason behind these dismissals is unknown, but rumors suggest that it could pave the way for the employment of more foreign workers. As of now, there are already around 150 Indonesian workers at the factory.

The local labour union argues that the management's actions are diminishing the workers' ability to assert their interests, particularly those who are far from home. This vulnerability is exacerbated by the lack of communication and the suddenness of the dismissals. Many of the affected workers have shown long-term dedication to the factory, with some even recently training the Indonesian workers.

Continental's management has justified the layoffs by citing the deterioration of the market and the backlog of orders. They claim that these dismissals are necessary to ensure the sustainability of the business. However, the union and workers question the fairness of exclusively targeting Hungarian workers and demand more clarity from the company.

The displacement of Hungarian workers in the Budapest factory has raised serious concerns and sparked outrage among the local labour union. The lack of communication, the exclusivity of the layoffs towards Hungarian workers, and the potential favoritism towards foreign workers have all contributed to the controversy surrounding this issue. The affected workers and their supporters continue to call for transparency and fair treatment by the company.

What is the situation at the Continental's Makó factory in Hungary? The Continental's Makó factory in Hungary is reportedly dismissing Hungarian workers to make room for foreign workers.

How are the workers being informed of their dismissals at the Makó factory? The workers at the Makó factory only learned about their dismissals through the media and not directly from the factory management.

Are the reasons behind the dismissals of the Hungarian workers known? The reasons behind the dismissals of the Hungarian workers at the Makó factory are not known.

Who is being affected by the dismissals at the Makó factory? The dismissals at the Makó factory, as of now, only affect Hungarian workers.

Are there any rumors regarding the dismissals at the Makó factory? There are rumors circulating in the factory that the dismissals of Hungarian workers are being done to make room for foreign workers, particularly 150 Indonesian workers who are currently employed at the factory.

How are the dismissals affecting the workers' ability to assert their interests? The local labor union criticizes the factory management for not communicating the extent and details of the layoffs and creating a lack of transparency. This makes it challenging for the workers, especially those far from home, to assert their interests.

What is Continental's management saying about the dismissals? Continental's management stated that the layoffs are being done to ensure the business remains sustainable and to minimize the impact on employees. They claim to have communicated the decision to local stakeholders in accordance with the law.

How long had some of the dismissed workers at the Makó factory been employed there? According to local secretary Roland Hajdú, many of the dismissed workers at the Makó factory had dedicated two decades to the factory, and some were even responsible for training Indonesian workers just six months prior to their dismissals.