Press Release No. 05/2013 IG Metall Calls for Solid Guarantees for Opel Locations

To secure jobs and locations, the bargaining committee is demanding that General Motors provide a solid financing commitment backed by corresponding investment commitments. Given Opel’s difficult economic situation, there is no alternative to such a growth strategy. The resolution adopted today states that it must be ensured that the future successes of a growth strategy are reflected in additional jobs in Germany.

As a further condition for the upcoming negotiations, the bargaining committee is demanding a ban on layoffs for operational reasons for all employees at all locations through at least 2016. The plans announced so far for replacement jobs in parts manufacturing and for “Bochum 2022” are not sufficient as alternatives. General Motors must clearly outline all options for planning new models as well as for the development company in Bochum.

The bargaining committee is also demanding that GM/Opel present concrete proposals for preserving and creating high-quality industrial jobs in Bochum. This includes, among other things, a four-digit number of Opel jobs, a reversal of the transmission plant closure, and job security for employees in Bochum through 2018.

“We expect GM management to now make a clear commitment to Opel and to Germany as a business location and to reach a negotiated settlement with IG Metall in a timely manner,” said Huber. The IG Metall regional collective bargaining agreement, based on the 2004 Pforzheim Agreement, offers sufficient opportunities to agree on a solution for Opel that is appropriate to the situation and in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement.