Opel: European trade unions mobilized against the shutdown of the Antwerp site

Number fight. On September 23, whereas the EMF was expecting 3,000-5,000 workers from throughout Europe in Antwerp, out of solidarity for the site’s workers, Fritz Henderson, Opel’s CEO, told the German press that no final decision had been made about Antwerp’s site. Nevertheless, he confirmed that the ‘new’ Opel (structure) will have to shut at least one site down. However, unions and the EMF object to the figures presented by the management and want a fair distribution of the burden between the different European sites. Since an agreement was signed between GM and the Magna car part manufacturer, controversy has been raging around the support promised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to support the takeover of Opel Europe. The Chancellor is accused of protectionism and suspected, in the middle of an electoral campaign, of trying to save German employees in exchange for public subsidies. Yet, the German press revealed that the results of the Antwerp site, the closing of which has been envisaged since the summer, are apparently much better than the results of the Bochum site in Germany.
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romised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to
support the takeover of Opel Europe. The Chancellor is accused of protectionism
and suspected, in the middle of an electoral campaign, of trying to save German
employees in exchange for public subsidies. Yet, the German press revealed that
the results of the Antwerp site, the closing of
which has been envisaged since the summer, are apparently much better than the
results of the Bochum site in Germany.

Commitment of the European Commission. On Septem

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