Following uncertainty in General Motors’ global operations, workers from the automaker’s German Opel division staged rallies across Europe in an attempt to save their jobs. The main rally was held at Opel’s plant in Ruesselsheim, German, where some 15,000 workers gathered.
Following GM’s bleak financial reports from North America and Europe, Opel workers are increasingly concerned about their job security. In fact, many are pleading for GM to spin off or sell its European brands.
“There is only one single chance, and that is spinning off Opel and Vauxhall from the GM group,” Klaus Franz, Opel’s top employee representative, told CNBC. Opel employs about 25,000 workers in Germany, with production facilities in four other European countries.
Rallies were also held at GM-owned Saab and Vauxhall facilities, with demonstrations taking place in Sweden, Britain, Austria, France, Spain and Hungary.
GM has vowed to cut its global workforce by 47,000 by the end of 2009, with 26,000 of those jobs cuts to come from outside the United States. GM is seeking $6 billion in aid from different European governments, but has received no indications that foreign loans are on the way.
02/26, 2:02 PM
posted by:
Zcarsales
Who are they protesting. Their governments or the company that employs them?
02/26, 2:38 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
This happen back in the mid 70’s, GM stock tumbled, and all the Union workers relay slacked off on the production lines. At the same time union workers from Ford went on to protest but they where force to go back to work by there Union heads as they negotiated. That gave Ford it’s Lemon cars during thous years. Funny how History repeats it self, just that this time it’s back words….
02/26, 2:50 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
If they think GM is going to “spin-off” Opel and Vauxhall they can go fvck themselves! They are as built into GM as Chevy is here. It’s like Microsoft spinning off Windows. Some Europeans think they are so above everyone else, they need a reality check. Companies have to do what’s right to stay in business, if that’s lay off employees, then it’s it. You can’t just not do it and go out of business, then everyone is out of employment. you wonder why they move production to eastern Europe and Asia, they don’t whine as much and expect the world from you.
@Zcar – who knows, it’s like they are throwing a temper tantrum at whoever will listen. The world’s not fair, live with it.
If GM goes down, so does Opel and Vauxhall!!!!
02/26, 3:05 PM
posted by:
jandrews90
@JakeK66 I would have said that Opel and Vauxhall have very seperate products and operations from the rest of GM… and honestly i would love to see opel and vauxhall become a seperate company, GM only has them so they use their German Brand Image. Although i do agree with you on the protesting, it doens’t rly make any sense, if they want to keep their jobs and keep the company profitable then nows the time they should be working the hardest….
And i don’t understand wether you like opel or not? Your like bashing them and saying they should go f**k themselves, but at the same time you want them to stay with GM? That doesn’t rly make any sence
02/26, 3:10 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
It’s Europe, just call it another whine and cheese party.
02/26, 3:26 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
what else do you expect them to do!
02/26, 4:23 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
@ jandrews90 – I was refering to those who thought they should split off from GM, the union bosses. I personally love Opel and Vauxhall, I think they both build quality products that should be here more than ever. I just think since they are normally profitable and good companies, it would be dumb to have them split off. GM should keep what good they have, not expel it or sell it for not nearly what it’s worth.
Opel and Vauxhall have been a part of GM for generations. Opel since 1929 and Vauxhall since 1925, and it’s more than just a name in Europe, they are GM as much as Pontiac and Chevy are here. So in essence it’s leaving the market they helped build if they did either spin off or sell off.
02/26, 4:41 PM
posted by:
shaver
I just want to see one Astra, just one!
And as much as I hate to say this (a 95 Chevy truck was my most loyal employee) GM is looking an awful like like the Titanic right now, there are not enough life boats and the nose is going sky up any minute.
02/26, 4:43 PM
posted by:
jandrews90
@JakeK66 – ok understandable, sorry for my misunderstanding. And i’ll admit i didn’t know as much as Opel of Vauxhalls history as i liked to beleive i had…. lol
02/26, 4:50 PM
posted by:
Zcarsales
I’m just curious. I want to see who they are blaming. The states that they live in, the ones that hamper all business (for the public interest) or the factory that employs them.
02/26, 5:33 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
No Problem, janandrews90, I wasn’t trying to be a dick, most people just don’t realize their importance to GM.
02/27, 6:20 AM
posted by:
fan
only way to save opel and vauxhall is to spin them off and give them freedom… its not like they need gm to survive… look at all the good selling or promising products gm has left… theyre all Opel/Vauxhall rebadged…
Volt? Developed by Opel in Europe. All the way. As a meager thanks, Opel is allowed to use the platform and technology THEY developed in their Ampera more than a year after the launch of the Volt
Saturn Astra? Sells as an Opel Astra in Europe for years and years
Insignia (new Platform for a midsize sedan)? Opel par excellence; and from what the press says in europe, and from what ive seen of the car so far, it may well be a bestseller for opel…
only thing gm “did” for opel/vauxhall in the past 20 – 30 years was skim off its profits in europe to cover the losses made by the US-Brands… now, that the car industry is not making any profits anymore, gm started to skim off technology… (a thing they were too proud to do before… how could anyone impose they should use “inferior european technology”… how inferior it is, we see above… )
02/27, 9:16 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
I guess GM hasn’t considered getting out of the european and asian markets in an effort to save its home market. That would make too much sense.
02/27, 8:07 PM
posted by:
Get Real
I would complain too if I lost my 30 hour work week.
03/02, 2:48 AM
posted by:
fan
their 30h workweek? be sure they would be glad to trade it for a full time workweek; but with the “success” of their products (i.e. thanks to GMs messing up), theres just no room for them to work longer… theres no point in producing cars for the lot, especially the way cars are sold in europe, i.e. tailormade to the customer and not being sold off the the lot…