Opel unions says they are “totally surprised” by reports Opel is to hive off parts of its Ruesselsheim research and development centre.
Reports circulating in France suggest Opel and PSA have approached engineering contractors concerning a sale which would include four separate parts valued at EUR500m (US$585m).
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“IG Metall has been totally surprised by the report of a possible sale of the Opel development centre or its individual parts,” said a statement sent to just-auto by the IG Metall labour body and put through a basic translation service.
“We will work to ensure German participation will in future be respected by the PSA management.”
Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller said “engineering is and will stay at the core of Opel” and “all future Opel models will be developed here in Ruesselsheim. Furthermore, we are taking over numerous important tasks for the entire Groupe PSA.”
He also said workload from GM will decrease ‘drastically’ during the coming years and options are being explored to create a viable engineering centre.
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By GlobalDataIn remarks confirmed to just-auto by PSA in Paris, the French manufacturer noted the development programme “could include strategic partners,” as well as “internal organisational measures.”
“The PSA spokesman added: “No decision has been taken for the moment. A solution should be found with social partners on this question, which is part of the social framework agreement signed in December, 2017.
“The Ruesselsheim R&D centre will continue to develop all future Opel models and to manage the work of the 15 competence centres which cover all the PSA Groupe.
A spokeswoman for Germany’s Economics Ministry in Berlin did not immediately respond to questions surrounding the future of Opel’s R&D centre, but with the facility thought to employ up to 8,000 staff, any suggestion of job rationalisation will not be welcome.
This is especially important at the moment as German Chancellor, Angela Merkel is under heavy political pressure with reported unrest with one of her coalition partners in Berlin.
“We have informed the IG Metall and the General Works Council regularly and since December 2017 already that we are checking the viability of strategic partnerships in engineering as a means to secure long-term employment in the Engineering Centre,” added Lohscheller.
“This information is also part of the agreement also signed by the General Works Council last year. The claim that we denied such plans in the board of arbitration is wrong.”
