Paper: Opel To Cut Each Third Job In Germany. Opel: Nonsense

New panic at GM's European Opel dependence: Opel needs to shed 30 percent of its workers. This is the supposed target of a "secret strategy" that has been agreed between Opel and GM, says BILD, Europe's largest circulation newspaper under the headline "One out of three jobs imperiled!" Based on an anonymous inside source, BILD writes about a three-step phased plan: Shortened hours, or "Kurzarbeit" are the start. This translates into savings for GM, "the German government foots the bill." Workers are offered a severance package. "If they refuse, they are threatened with a transfer to a lower paying job." "Next step: The message that shortened hours are not enough to save Opel. People have to go." Firings are contractually verboten through the end of 2014, and extension of the deal through 2016 is being discussed. "Therefore, the specter of insolvency will be used as a threat." Steve Girsky denied to BILD that such a secret strategy exists. Opel's works council told the Süddeutsche Zeitung: "The report is nonsense, a canard." In a statement to Reuters, Opel says: "The claim that Opel wants to cut one in every three jobs in Germany is untrue. It is irresponsible to our customers, our dealers and our approximately 40,000 employees. The Bild article damages our brand and puts our business at risk." In the meantime, "Kurzarbeit" did spread to a third plant in Germany, to Opel's plant in Eisenach, the Handelsblatt writes. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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