IG BCE sounds the alarm: Dow's cuts endanger jobs in the East!

IG BCE sounds the alarm: Dow's cuts endanger jobs in the East!

The IG BCE, union for mining, chemicals and energy, expresses serious concerns about the planned production cuts by the US chemical company Dow in central Germany. Stephanie Albrecht-Suliak, the North East regional district manager, sharply criticizes the situation and speaks of “maximum irritation”. The planned decline could put several hundred jobs at risk, especially at the Böhlen and Schkopau locations. This development could have far-reaching consequences for the entire industrial sector in the region, such as South Germans reported.

The union highlights that the review of several European locations, including Böhlen and Schkopau, is due to the challenging conditions. High energy, raw material and CO2 costs as well as regulatory burdens play a decisive role. Albrecht-Suliak calls on Dow to take responsibility and create prospects for the East German locations in order to secure jobs. Böhlen's mayor Dietmar Berndt described possible closures as “catastrophic for the entire region”.

Economic challenges

Saxony-Anhalt's Economics Minister Sven Schulze emphasizes that the situation for the chemical industry is challenging. A final decision on the locations is expected by mid-2025. Around 500 employees have already been informed about the tests. In Böhlen, Dow operates one of the central plants, a “steam cracker,” which produces essential chemical raw materials such as ethylene and propylene.

The situation at the PCK site in Schwedt, which no longer purchases Russian oil and is looking for alternative sources of supply, also contributes to the uncertainty in the region. Albrecht-Suliak is calling for the refinery's ownership issue to be clarified so as not to stand in the way of necessary transformations. The Northeast regional district of IG BCE, which includes Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, has around 148,000 employees in over 760 companies.

The IG BCE not only criticizes Dow's plans, but also sees the general uncertainty at PCK as an obstacle to the required transformation and the securing of collectively agreed jobs. Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke recognizes the achievements of PCK employees since 2023 and highlights the important contributions to economic stability in the region.

With the current challenges, IG BCE sees the need to find solutions to secure plant operations and jobs. Loud MDR The closure or temporary shutdown of the plants in Böhlen and Schkopau could have far-reaching implications for the entire chemical industry in the central German chemical triangle, which underlines the urgency of an action plan.