Northvolt's bankruptcy coordinator Mikael Kubu.
A significant proportion of those at Northvolt who have been given notice with paid leave are union representatives – a situation that has caused concern for IF Metall.
– That is our primary point of criticism. Our impression is that individuals holding union positions have been deliberately excluded from continued employment offers. Currently, only one main safety representative remains at Northvolt to manage responsibilities alone; otherwise, external representatives like ourselves are left to handle the work, says Lena Lundgren, local coordinator at IF Metall Norra Västerbotten.
– This results in a near absence of elected representatives on site, and consequently, no one to monitor the work environment.
They are also dissatisfied with the manner in which the company and the bankruptcy administrator have addressed the matter of retaining employees, and believe greater consideration should have been given to seniority principles.
– Our concern is that those who did not receive notice with paid leave – meaning those still working – may be offered continued employment or an extension of their notice period without adherence to the established order-of-precedence rules.
According to reports, some employees have also recently experienced unpaid wages.
– There are a few individuals who have received incorrect or no salary. While we do not believe this was intentional, we have raised the issue with the company’s HR department, Lundgren concludes.
Norran asked bankruptcy administrator Mikael Kubu for his response to the criticism regarding seniority rules and the alleged deliberate exclusion of union representatives. He replied via email:
– To establish the most effective furlough process feasible under the present circumstances, the administration has maintained close communication with the HR department of the bankrupt company. Given the large number of employees with diverse contract types and varying conditions, it has been necessary to implement several distinct plans for the practical execution of the layoff process.
We are fully cognizant that this is a difficult period for many and that the process may seem abrupt. Despite the current situation and the significant time constraints, we have endeavoured to manage the process as professionally and meticulously as possible, writes Kubu.