Volkswagen's Seat to Halt Production Close to Barcelona Due to Protests
October 17 2019 - 10:15AM
Dow Jones News
By Max Bernhard
Spanish car maker Seat will halt production at its main site in
Martorell near Barcelona until Friday night, citing continuing
protests over the jail sentences for nine Catalan separatist
leaders.
"After verifying the high risk that ongoing demonstrations pose
to the mobility of employees in the Barcelona area and the delivery
of material, Seat management and unions have agreed to halt the
production shifts at the Martorell factory from this afternoon
until tomorrow night," the Volkswagen AG (VOW.XE) subsidiary said
in a statement Thursday.
During the night to Thursday, thousands of pro-independence
protesters took to the streets in cities across Catalonia. Some
marches turned violent and demonstrators in parts of Barcelona set
fire to garbage bins, leading to clashes with riot police.
Pro-independence groups and unions have previously called for a
general strike on Friday.
"Our responsibility as a company also consists in protecting the
people who work at Seat. For this reason, we have made this
decision exclusively to avoid them from getting stranded on their
commutes to and from work," Seat said.
The company said its headquarters will remain open for employees
that are able to commute unhindered. Its majority unions aren't
participating in the general strike on Friday, it added.
Write to Max Bernhard at max.bernhard@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 17, 2019 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Volkswagen (TG:VOW3)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Volkswagen (TG:VOW3)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024