Opel: No Deal With The Unions, Deadline Expires

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Down to the wire, and nothing: German unions had set Opel a deadline until today to come to an agreement about the future of Opel. The unions had offered to forgo a 4.3 percent pay hike and waive future pay raises if Opel extends a moratorium on plant closures through 2016. Today’s deadline passed without an agreement, Reuters says.

German metalworkers are entitled to the 4.3 percent pay raise, but Opel unions deferred payments through the end of October. Union representatives will meet today to discuss how to go forward.

Also today, Germany’s anti-trust authority approved the alliance between GM and PSA, the Handelsblatt says. The agency decided that no market dominating tie-up exists. The agency did not investigate the bailout of PSA by the French government. That is Brussels’ job.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Dcars Dcars on Oct 26, 2012

    Ford didn't try to close a German factory. GM rewarded the loyalty of their English partner. GM's issue is it's over capacity in Germany.

    • Tresmonos Tresmonos on Oct 26, 2012

      It's extremely difficult to close a German factory compared to a UK facility or a facility in Belgium because of the German workers commission or whatever it's called. Ze Germans just get more work piled on top of them until they can't handle it anymore. If you can't get rid of them, you make them more efficient.

  • Sector 5 Sector 5 on Oct 26, 2012

    Don't know if labor law lets GM do it over there.. lengthy lockout followed by closure in 18 months. Just hire some expensive legal consultants GM - you know those former union labor lawyers who cross over as freelance union busters for big corps.

  • GS650G GS650G on Oct 26, 2012

    The unions have met their match on this. Blood is not coming from this stone and they know it.

  • Herb Herb on Oct 27, 2012

    Damned overcapacities. How do they work?

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