After IG Metall, German politicians warn Carlos Tavares. “We are counting on the fulfillment of last year’s investment and employment commitments,” said Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, leader of the Social Democrat Party (SPD) in Hesse, where Opel headquarters is based. . In the coming days, PSA must prove the value of these commitments, “he added, warning against” deadlock “discussions with the union.
He spoke with Andrea Nahles, who is to take the presidency of the SPD on Sunday, Malu Dreyer, Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, and Wolfgang Tiefensee , Minister of the Economy of Thuringia. Pressure from the SPD came just after a summit meeting convened by the new Federal Ministers of Economy and Labor, which was also attended by the chairman of IG Metall, Jörg Hofmann . According to several sources, Carlos Tavares was invited but could not go there for reasons of timing.
Summit meeting in Berlin
“Yesterday there was a working discussion in the framework of a dialogue process,” spokesman for the Ministry of Labor told Echoes. The number one priority of the federal government is that production sites and jobs are guaranteed.
Without wishing to interfere in the life of the company, the Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) could enjoy a meeting with his counterpart Muriel Pénicaud, Thursday in Berlin, to address the issue.
The Ministry of Economy, which is leading the case, also confirmed the meeting, refusing to comment further to avoid fueling the fire. According to several sources, it is likely that the Christian Democrat Minister (CDU) Peter Altmaier will speak with Carlos Tavares in the coming days. One thing is certain: the German government seeks dialogue with PSA, but also the French state, shareholder of the car manufacturer.
At the heart of the conflict: the application of the branch agreement, which provides for salary increase of 4.3% from April 1st for the 3.9 million employees of the metallurgy. Decided to cut costs, Opel refuses to implement it, but IG Metall is demanding counterparties in exchange for a possible waiver. By purchasing Opel, PSA had committed to respect the General Motors agreements which provided for a guarantee of jobs until 2018 and sites until 2020.
Freeze an investment project
Negotiations on Friday broke down between Opel management and IG Metall, leading Monday the management of the German subsidiary to freeze a investment project in the Eisenach plant in Thuringia, which was set for 2019. “The planned investment plan can not be implemented because of IG Metall union block for achieving performance conditions that would ensure the future of the site in the long term, “says one at PSA.
The politicization of the file is not necessarily a surprise for Carlos Tavares, decided to cut the costs of Opel. But it could undermine the success of its strategy, which also includes a voluntary departure plan . In the run-up to regional elections in Hesse, in October, it’s a safe bet that German political parties are on the lookout. Opel employs the majority of its 19,000 German employees (out of a total of 38,000).