Sick Feet For The Marathon

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

Despite the GM crisis, job cuts are not an option at Opel. However, there is an internal battle for orders in vehicle development.

According to the company, the current crisis of the parent company General Motors (GM) will not result in any job cuts at Opel. "Job cuts are not an issue," said an Opel spokesman on Monday in Rüsselsheim. The “Future Contract 2010” concluded in 2005, which excludes job cuts until 2010, continues to apply to the German plants. "This is an agreement that has been made," emphasized the spokesman. The contract guarantees the future of the Opel works up to this point in time. The car manufacturer employs around 25,670 people at its four German locations in Rüsselsheim, Bochum, Eisenach and Kaiserslautern.

Third sick person on board

After years of losses in the billions, GM and other indebted US automakers threatened to run out of money due to the financial crisis. The employee representatives view the merger plans of General Motors with the US competitor Chrysler with skepticism. "If two people with foot sickness get together, they won't win a marathon," said General Works Council Chairman Klaus Franz. This will only increase GM's problems.

Together with the Chrysler owner, the financial investor Cerberus, there would only be a third sick person on board. According to media reports, the largest US automaker GM is considering buying Chrysler. A merger with the former Daimler subsidiary would create by far the world's largest car company. It remains to be seen whether the deal will come about.

Temporary production stop

After significant losses, Opel cut around 9,000 jobs in 2005 with a tough restructuring plan. A week ago, Opel announced a temporary production stop for almost all European plants except Rüsselsheim due to falling orders. According to the works council, this measure will run without any job cuts and wages. "That will be billed through working time accounts," said Franz. There will be short-time working at the Eisenach plant, but surcharges will be paid in return.

The works council fears that a battle for orders in vehicle development will develop between Opel and GM. There are plans for the US manufacturer's engineers to develop models for which the European development center in Rüsselsheim was previously responsible. The company did not want to comment on this. (dpa)