Opel Bochum Employees Refuse Labor Deal; Factory May Close in 2014

The employees at Opel'sOpelGermany, 1863 > present85 models
5151 photos
8 videos
Bochum factory have refused what General MotorsGMUnited States of America, 1998 > present8 models
240 photos
calls its Deutschlandplan.

The deal would have meant no pay increases for Opel workers and GM investing €3 billion in Opel. The Bochum factory would have been converted to a components factory and warehouse in 2016 but let go of 61% of the workers. 

Employees at Bochum rejected the deal, and unless a compromise can be found, the Bochum factory will be closed at the end of 2014 when production of the Zafira TourerOpel Zafira TourerGermany, 2011 > present2 photos
ends. Opel says that it will no go to the union with any further deals meaning that finding a compromise is in the union's hands. 

“We very much regret that the employees in Bochum did not accept an attractive offer. A huge opportunity has now been missed," said Manfred Gellrich, director of the Bochum factory.

The rest of the Opel factories in Germany accepted the plan. It means that the Rüsselsheim factory will get a new model, and the other factories will remain as they are through 2016.