Munich (dpa) – Over 20,000 Germany-based employees at European air
and space company EADS protested at locations around the country on
Thursday against proposed job cuts.

The IG Metall labour union called for walkouts by its members to
protest the cuts, which could come as a result of EADS combining its
space and defence subsidiaries, as well as from selling off smaller
units.

In the Bavarian city of Manching alone, around 2,000 employees
gathered to vent their anger. The company intends to give details
about its definitive plans on December 9.

“We have understanding for the worries of our employees,” said an
EADS spokesperson.

EADS chief executive Tom Enders recently emphasized that the
restructuring of the ailing defence business would come with job
losses. The merger of the aerospace subsidiary Astrium into the new
Airbus Defence Space division could lead to up to 8,000 cuts.

Thomas Pretzl, the company‘s labour representative in Germany,
accused Enders of placing financial returns before its employees.
EADS currently has a backlogged order book.

“With this excess, we and our families must be worried about our
existence during Christmas,” said Pretzl.

EADS needs a long-term strategy that opens employees up to
different possibilities in the job market, he added.

Bavaria‘s new business minister, Ilse Aigner, tried to reassure
employees that they would receive support from the state.

“I‘m in contact with Tom Enders, the head of the company, trade
unions and the council,” said Aigner.

Other protests took place in the Bavarian cities of Augsburg and
Donauwoerth, as well as at Airbus plants in Hamburg, Bremen and
Stade.

Like other European defence contractors, EADS is feeling the
financial squeeze. Programmes are being closed or rolled back, while
orders are being cancelled.