Steel concern Corus and car maker Nedcar are among the country’s first 15 companies which have applied to the employment ministry for a shorter working week, reports Tuesday’s Financieele Dagblad.

Corus wants to cut the hours of around half of its 4,600 workers at Corus Steel in IJmuiden, says the paper. The company has been in trouble for some time due to the financial crisis and the downturn in demand for steel.
The workers already accepted a new pay and conditions (CAO) agreement in October which raised their wages by just 1.75%.
Nedcar is in talks with the CNV trade union federation on a shorter working week for about 1,000 workers at its Born factory where orders for the Mitsubishi Outlander and Colt it makes have fallen dramatically, says the FD. The sticking point in the negotiations is the CNV’s demand that temporary staff should be included in the move.
Nedcar also wants to halt production of both cars for three weeks after Christmas and then slow down the production lines. The move could see production of the Outlander halved until summer 2009.
The traditional short-time working regulations have been extended by the government to cover companies hit by the economic crisis. Under the scheme workers are paid 70% of their wage from the unemployment benefit (WW) fund, with the company covering the other 30%.
If accepted by the employment ministry, the 15 companies will be allowed to cut their workers’ working hours for a six-week period, with further six-week extensions available after the initial period.
Most of the firms which have applied for the shorter working week are in the metal, electro-engineering, car industry supply and transport sectors, says the FD.