Opel’s main union at its Bochum factory in Germany appears resigned to the fact the site will close at the end of next year and is citing an unconfirmed compensation figure of EUR100,000 (US$129,000) for staff with 20 years service.
The GM Europe division has taken a tough stance with the IG Metall union, which rejected a pay freeze in exchange for continued Zafira production until 2016, but even the labour body now appears to have accepted the inevitable.
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“We had hoped we would get another reaction from our members,” an IG Metall spokesman told just-auto from near the Bochum plant. “[In the voting of our members in the factory, most of them said we think in these negotiations we will get a better result…but most representatives [think] this way is not possible.
“I am not sure it is possible to get another way in these negotiations – it is only a little bit [of] hope [from] some people.”
Now that Bochum appears doomed to closure, IG Metall is turning instead to thrashing out any compensation package the automaker may put in place, with an unconfirmed figure of EUR100,000 being bandied about, as well as discussing unspecified alternative industries in the region.
“It can [could] be EUR100,000 for a worker who was working in the factory for 20 years – in Germany it is tax-free – [but] it is not enough for a good kind of life.” said the IG Metall spokesman. “
“In the Bochum area it is really difficult to get another job.”
The Rhine town has already suffered, noted IG Metall, with the decision by Nokia to downsize and the addition of 3,000 new unemployed to the dole queues will present yet further challenges.
Opel was not immediately available to confirm any compensation amount.
