Bochum will close after 2016. In a highly anticipated joint statement, Opel’s management and WC and the IG-Metall announced, on Wednesday night, the outline of a restructuring program for the German subsidiary, heavily in debt. The details will be presented during the next board meeting on June 28. In this plan, the management commits to bargain with the WC and the IG-Metall for the extension until 2016 of the agreement barring any economic layoff on its four German sites, including Bochum, which will expire in 2014. Thus, the Bochum plant, which could have closed in 2015, got a respite, since the management declared that it was ready to maintain the site until the end of the current Zafira minivan. However, after this deadline, the future is a lot grimmer. Indeed, the management announced that it was going to negotiate the closure of the Bochum factory, which employs about 3,100 people, with the employee representatives. “Given the economic situation and forecasts for auto demand, the plan currently being negotiated doesn’t provide for new cars in Bochum after the current Zafira model ends” warned Opel management, which recently closed the Antwerp site in Belgium.
the site until the end of the current Zafira minivan. However, after this deadline, the future is a lot grimmer. Indeed, the management announced that it was going to negotiate the closure of the Bochum factory, which employs about 3,100 people, with the employee representatives.
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