car industry
Country bosses concerned about further developments at Opel
IG Metall has announced protest actions because of the threat of Opel being broken up. Photo: Michael Reichel / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
What is happening to the car manufacturer Opel in the newly founded Stellantis Group? The company has evidently let neither the workers nor the German politicians know about its plans.
The threat of dismantling the car manufacturer Opel has raised concerns about jobs in the state governments of Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia.
In a joint letter to the boss of the Opel parent company Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, the Prime Ministers Volker Bouffier (CDU), Malu Dreyer (SPD) and Bodo Ramelow (Linke) asked for more information and a return to trustworthy communication about the company’s current situation and its locations.
Last week, Stellantis announced plans to separate the two production plants in Rüsselsheim and Eisenach from the German unit Opel Automobile GmbH. In addition, due to the semiconductor shortage, the Eisenach plant is to be closed for three months, while production will continue in other Stellantis plants.
“You will understand that both facts lead to doubts and concerns in the German public about what plans Stellantis now has with Opel Germany,” the state politicians now write to Tavares. There was no accompanying communication with the federal states on either issue.
The former General Motors subsidiary Opel was taken over by Peugeot parent PSA in 2017. This in turn merged this year with Fiat-Chrysler to form the Stellantis Group based in Amsterdam. The company is the fourth largest automaker in the world and is led by former PSA boss Carlos Tavares. In the tough restructuring course for the only German brand Opel, IG Metall agreed protection against dismissal until July 2025 for the remaining employees.
IG Metall has announced protest actions for October 29th. The threat of dismantling only serves the goal of weakening successful co-determination in Germany, said Opel works council boss Uwe Baum last Friday. Further indications of an imminent reorganization of Opel GmbH became known on Wednesday.