Opel’s German workforce safe for another two years

FOLLOWING its takeover by Groupe PSA last year and in the midst of tightening emissions regulations, Opel has moved to secure its future prospects, primarily its German workforce and vehicle production.

In support of its workers and to ensure it has an adequate employment base, brand executives decided this week to extend the exclusion of forced redundancies to July 2025 for German employees and increase its market competitiveness while investing in its Rüsselsheim plant in the wake of ‘performance improvements’.

As a direct result of the investment, the next-generation Astra in both hatch and wagon forms – both internal combustion and hybrid – will be produced at the Rüsselsheim plant as of 2021 and 2022 respectively.

With such a big operation set to be untaken, Opel says the decision will secure “at least the two-shift operation of the Rüsselsheim plant.”

In regard to its workforce, the German marque has not only extended the forced redundancy exclusion period by two years but will also be giving all current trainees or apprentices permanent contracts.

The voluntary leave programme is set to be reopened – but limited to 2100 positions – in which employees born before or in 1963 will have the opportunity to participate in partial retirement or senior leave programmes.

Opel chief executive Michael Lohscheller was thrilled with the decisions and said they were future proofing the brand.

“This agreement creates a further considerable improvement of our competitiveness,” he said.

“With the allocation of the next generation of Astra, we aim at safeguarding the future in times of massive transformation.

“At the same time, this agreement gives our employees long-term security.”