Opel production in Germany
So far, little more than a dozen volunteers have signed up for the temporary transfer.
Munich The car maker Opel wants to “temporarily move up to 150 German production employees to French plants”, as stated in a circular of the works council called. According to the leaflet available in the Handelsblatt, management and employee representatives of the Hessian vehicle manufacturer have reached an agreement until July 31 to the French parent company PSA (Peugeot, Citroën, DS) for a few weeks.
“One thing is clear: This temporary support for the French plants by Rüsselsheim employees is on a purely voluntary basis! No employee can be forced against his will. And no employee has to give a reason if he rejects “ emphasizes the works council in his letter.
At the same time, the agreement regulates that Opel– Employees may only be dispatched to factories in the neighboring country where no Covid 19 case has occurred for 14 days. “If these limits are exceeded during the ongoing transfer, the business trips will be stopped immediately,” says the leaflet.
“We can confirm that we are currently looking for manufacturing employees who can produce to French PSA– Support locations, ”said a company spokesman. Anyone looking for the transfer to France decides, gets a car for the arrival and departure and stays for the duration of the posting in a single room in the hotel. Expenses and overtime paid out should create a financial incentive. So far, however, hardly more than a dozen volunteers have registered.
The reason for the new desire to travel at Opel is “currently” higher personnel requirements in the French PSA plants, according to Rüsselsheim. In fact, Opel lacks orders at home. After two months of downtime due to corona, the Hessians started up their production in Rüsselsheim again on June 8th. But since the beginning of July, the Opel parent plant has been working short-time again, it is said in corporate circles.
The reason: The Insignia limousine manufactured on site continues to sell only slowly. A company spokesman confirms that the assembly lines in Rüsselsheim are only due to start again on August 24, because the plant holidays are coming up.
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