FRANKFURT, Germany—Michelin has budgeted $250 million in investments through 2010 in its businesses in Germany, if its workers there OK a change to a 40-hour workweek and improve productivity by 30 percent.
Michelin CEO Michel Rollier disclosed the firm´s plans in a speech to customers recently in Frankfurt.
The standard workweek at Michelin´s German plants is 37.5 hours.
Michelin wants its 5,700 workers in Germany to approve a change back to 40 hours at the same pay scale, which would work out to an approximate 6-percent cut in pay per hour.
Michelin said it is making its demands to improve the company´s competitiveness. Besides the change in the workweek, the tire maker will focus on reducing its energy costs through improved manufacturing efficiencies.
Michelin Reifenwerke K.G.a. operates four tire plants in Germany as well as a bead-wire processing facility.
The company will mark 100 years of doing business in Germany on Dec. 17 and said it will build a training center at its Karlsruhe headquarters to commemorate the occasion.