At Opel, there is growing concern that the future parent company could reduce PSA jobs. The works council therefore demands “court-proof” guarantees – and signals how far it would go for it.
Transparent in front of the Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim
Monday, 27.03.2017
17:00 o’clock
Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug wants security – and as fast as possible. In a letter to the Opel-Base, the manager-magazin.de is present, the Opel works council chairman written and thus “court-proof” guarantees that the promises made for the Opel sale are also complied with. Should the works council not get these, Schäfer-Klug suggests strikes indirectly.
PSA boss Carlos Tavares had repeatedly emphasized that he was buying the brand Opel the of General Motors given location and employment commitments. This means a waiver of redundancies until the end of 2018, and by 2020 all Opel sites are protected.
However, so far these are public, but only verbal commitments. According to Schäfer-Klug explain General Motors 
and PSA Peugeot Citroën so far, that everything will be secured, But written and thus contractually binding commitments, the two car companies wanted to give only after the closing, so after the sale, including the transfer of rights. The reason given by the auto companies is antitrust law, which makes certain promises more difficult.
“We will not do that,” explains Schäfer-Klug in the letter. “We want the guarantees now and in a judicial manner.” It is difficult negotiations in this regard “especially with GM”.
Schäfer-Klug then threatens indirectly with work stoppages as the last escalation stage. “Maybe we have to – along with the IG-metal – make it clear soon that this is also your wish, “says Schäfer-Klug in the letter of 24 March.
Schäfer-Klug also takes a stand to the million-dollar premiums for Opel boards in the event of a sale of the brand. If the business actually comes about, The nine Opel board members could collect between 20 and 30 million euros premium, Should such bonuses “actually apply, this should be condemned,” explains Schäfer-Klug. Sums at this level would actually be a novelty for the GM subsidiary.
However, Schäfer-Klug does not close his letter with a fighting slogan but with a conciliatory appeal to all sides. The works council wants a good future for Opel, where all jobs and locations are maintained. This is what we want to do together with PSA and our European colleagues, writes the Chairman of Opel’s General Works Council.