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GM's announcement yesterday that it has abandoned its planned sale of Opel and will proceed with its own plan for its European plants is a surprising about-turn.
GM announced in the press that it would undertake its European restructuring as soon as possible and that it would present its plans to the governments concerned very shortly. However, the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) insists that GM management enters into talks with the European Works Council and the European trade unions without delay, to consult with them and provide details of the business and restructuring plans.
"GM Europe workers deserve a reliable future and not uncertainty once more as a result of GM's surprising about-turn" says EMF General Secretary Peter Scherrer.
After months and months of uncertainty, the safeguards given to GM workers for their future have been swept away by this GM management decision. Today we are back to further uncertainty and a new question mark over the future of GM European plants.
The EMF General Secretary underlined that any new restructuring plans from GM must include the two major EMF demands: No plant closures and no forced redundancies. "The plans have to be seen to be both viable and acceptable to the trade unions and EWC. The workers made concessions with regard to the Opel-Magna deal, but they should no longer be seen as valid", stated Peter Scherrer. "They will have to be fully reconsidered in the light of GM's new European plans. The workers have made enough sacrifices already," he added.
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PRESS 42/2009
The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry. The EMF has a mandate for the external representation and coordination of the metalworkers' unions and a mandate to engage in bargaining at European level.
For further information please contact:
Peter Scherrer, EMF General Secretary
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PRESS 42/2009
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