Opel Extends Protection Of Its Performance And Employment
January 14, 2020 by Vauxhall•In the context of energy transition, led by European CO2 regulations, Management and general works council agreed on extensive measures to safeguard the future •Exclusion of forced redundancies extended by two years to July 2025 •As part of the allocation of the next generation of Astra, Rüsselsheim will be one of two plants to produce the new model. •EMP2 platform will be localized in Rüsselsheim, allowing to build plug-in hybrid •The decision to invest is linked to Rüsselsheim performance improvements and secures operation in at least two shift. •Voluntary programme to be reopened for employees in Rüsselsheim, Eisenach and Kaiserslautern Rüsselsheim. In the context of far-reaching changes with regard to the ever-stricter CO2 regulations that the entire automotive industry is facing, Opel's management and the Opel general works council have agreed extensive measures to secure employment and further increase Opel's competitiveness. The exclusion of forced redundancies has been extended by two further years to 2025 for the employees in Germany. The trainees who are currently serving their apprenticeships will be given permanent contracts. As a result of performance improvement, the company has decided to make further investments in the plant in Rüsselsheim, thus providing the perspective for many years of manufacturing. As one of two plants to produce the new Astra, Rüsselsheim will build the next generation model as a five-door from 2021. From 2022, it will also produce the estate version, given that around 95 percent of estates are sold in continental Europe. The allocation includes the internal combustion engine and the plug-in hybrid variants. The second plant is yet to be confirmed. This extensive investment decision will secure at least the two-shift operation of the Rüsselsheim plant. Management and the general works council also agreed that the voluntary leave programme will be reopened for employees in Rüsselsheim, Eisenach and Kaiserslautern. This is limited to a maximum of 2,100 positions. Employees born up to and before 1963 will have the opportunity to participate in partial retirement or senior leave programmes. The voluntary leave programme is based on the principle of double voluntary action. This means employee and the employer must come to a mutual agreement.
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'This agreement creates a further considerable improvement of our competitiveness. With the allocation of the next generation of Astra, we aim at safeguarding the future in times of massive transformation. At the same time, this agreement gives our employees long-term security. The protection of employment until 2025 is a strong signal,' said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. About Opel Opel is one of the largest European car manufacturers and was founded by Adam Opel in Rüsselsheim, Germany, in 1862. The company started building automobiles in 1899. Opel has been part of the Groupe PSA since August 2017. Together with its British sister brand Vauxhall, the company is represented in more than 60 countries around the globe selling over one million vehicles in 2018. Opel is currently implementing its electrification strategy to secure sustainable success and ensure that the future mobility demands of customers are met. By 2024, all European passenger car models will offer an electric variant. This strategy is part of the company plan PACE! with which Opel aims to become sustainably profitable, global and electric.
