BREAKING NEWS: Nissan in Spain’s Barcelona Spared Closure

Workers at the Nissan plant in Barcelona have been spared job losses until next year after a deal between the company and unions was worked out.

After a marathon 25-hour meeting, the Japanese multinational Nissan and unions have reached an agreement on for the factories in Barcelona. Nissan announced earlier this year in May that ​the plant would be closed in a move which would affect the jobs of 2,525 workers.

Nissan management has finally agreed to revise its proposal, it was originally presented as an ultimatum but was soon rejected by the workers. With the agreement, Nissan agrees to postpone the closure until the end of 2021 and not to forcibly fire anyone until then, although there may be voluntary casualties, said the company. The agreement also improves the terms and conditions of compensation, for which the company foresees a cost of 400 million euros.

The negotiations that started in June after the announcement of the closure of the Nissan plants in Zona Franca, Montcada i Reixac and Sant Andreu de la Barca have been very difficult, said a union spokesman. Nissan submitted a proposal on Friday, gave a maximum deadline for workers to accept it on Tuesday, and threatened to push forward the employment regulation dossier (ERE) if the deal were not accepted. Given the rejection of the workers, the company had therefore been forced to reconsider its position, said a Nissan spokesman.