BOCHUM (dpa-AFX) - Around 250 Thyssenkrupp employees demonstrated in Bochum on Friday ahead of the industrial group's Annual General Meeting in favor of greater employee involvement in the future direction of the group. The demonstration was called by IG Metall. The demonstration focused on the new CEO Miguel López. The union accuses him of circumventing co-determination. An IG Metall leaflet addressed to the shareholders was entitled "What's this all about, Mr. López?" was the headline.

Nobody knows what Thyssenkrupp stands for anymore, it said. Thyssenkrupp is a company without direction. "We strongly criticize this lack of direction on the part of the management." A lack of investment and unclear strategies were jeopardizing the future of Thyssenkrupp. "Many problems are home-made."

López is acting in a non-transparent manner, the union continued to criticize. "He wants to put his head through the wall. He is ignoring co-determination. Why so stubborn, Mr. López?" the leaflet read. The union published several cartoons with drawings of López.

The traditional company with around 100,000 employees is in a state of upheaval. For example, there are plans to make the two large steel and naval shipbuilding divisions independent. On Thursday, the deputy head of IG Metall, Jürgen Kerner, appealed to the Management Board to work "at eye level" with the employees again when developing the strategy.

The relationship between IG Metall and López is considered strained above all because the Supervisory Board added two new positions to the Management Board at the end of November against all the votes of the employee side./tob/DP/stk