I wouldn’t have thought that, with the current state of play in the European auto industry, there’d be too much niggle in the union ranks. But we’ve reported on a bit this week.
General Motors has tried to sweeten the inevitable closure of its 40-year-old Bochum plant in Germany by offering Zafira production out to 2016 in return for a pay freeze. No dice, said IG Metall, so this is how it has played out so far today. The gates close and the jobs axe falls at the end of 2014, though it looks like long-serving staff might get a decent pay-off. As we reported earlier, the Zafira moves to Russelsheim in 2015, instead.
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There have also been wider metalworker strikes in Germany – over pay – but agreement was reached this week.
Meanwhile, in Italy, trouble at a supplier has hit output at Fiat plants there and in Spain and Serbia. We haven’t managed to establish the reason for the stoppage but it was resolved today.
Better news here in the UK: A nice new contract for BorgWarner supplying turbos for the new engines Jaguar is to make at the new factory it is currently building in Wolverhampton.
Another interesting development this week: Toyota said it had started building Yaris models for North America at its French plant. So far the Toyota tiddler has been shipped to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico from Japan. The plant has proven itself with high quality cars for Europe and now exports to over 40 countries, including South Africa and Egypt.
More factory news came from Russia as the Ford-Sollers JV announced a new Duratec engine plant – hiking local content at Mr Putin’s bidding – and confirmed local build of the EcoSport small SUV.
We also learned that new owners plan to put Saab’s 9-3 back into production and that Chevrolet is going to have a go at Ford’s Transit Connect in the US by rebadging Nissan’s Mexican-built NV200. That sector is hotting up – not to be outdone, Chrysler plans to rebadge a Fiat van for its US Ram truck division.
Have a nice weekend.
Graeme Roberts, Deputy Editor, just-auto.com
