Update occupied GKN factory

What has happened so far
The workforce at the GKN auto parts factory near Florence occupied the factory in July 2021 and has been holding a permanent assembly in the factory ever since. The occupation was a reaction to the dismissal of the workforce. The workers are fighting for their jobs and have developed a conversion plan together with engineers and the climate movement. They want to produce, install and recycle photovoltaic systems and produce cargo bikes. The workers have set up a cooperative that will take over production. The cooperative is called Gff. It has issued cooperative shares. Supporters have subscribed shares worth 1,300,000 euros (as of October 2024). However, a total of 11,483,000 euros is needed for the first year to start production.

Financing
In addition to the 1,300,000 euros in subscribed cooperative shares, Gff has cooperative deposits of 400,000 euros, an investor has pledged 2,000,000 million euros and a bank has promised a loan of 2,500,000 euros. The remaining bank loans required amount to 5,283,000 euros.

Regional law
However, whether production can start depends not only on the money, but above all on the cooperative Gff being able to use the factory and the factory premises. A law from the 1970s stipulates that the region has a right of first refusal for closed factories. The workers are demanding that the region use this right to buy the site and rent it to the cooperative so that it can start production.

Consortium
Although the workers are still formally employed and are entitled to their wages, the company has not paid wages since 1 January 2024. The region should therefore set up a consortium to pay the outstanding wages and deduct this expenditure from the purchase price when it buys the factory premises and equipment from the company. The cooperative has asked the government to start negotiations on the specific implementation by 15 November 2024.

Final declaration of the supporters who have subscribed to cooperative shares and a brief summary of the cooperative's business plan

We visited the workforce in June 2022 and produced a video report: Let's rise up! - The GKN factory collective