PSA apparently wants to sell the Opel Development Department – Economy

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The French car manufacturer Peugeot-Citroën (PSA) plans to stand out from part of the Opel development center in Rüsselsheim separate. PSA and Opel have been exploring development service providers in recent months, including Altran and Bertrandt, to submit bids. This is reported by the French newspaper Le Monde which relies on an internal document. About 4,000 of the site's 7,000 engineers, considered the heart of Opel, would be affected.

A spokesman for Opel announced Tuesday evening that the Rüsselsheim department would continue to develop all Opel models and fulfill the tasks of the Opel 15 centers of competence for the whole of the PSA Group. Faced with a "sharp contraction of GM's contract work", a solution had to be found with the social partners. This was also part of the 2017 Framework Agreements. This also includes the possibility of strategic partnerships. Until now, however, no decision has been made.

However, the PSA group intended to say that the course had been set in recent months in order to "define" the future role of the Rüsselsheim "Engineering Center". So the question to clarify what people should do there. However, no decision has yet been taken. These developments were discussed with the employees, was heard from the PSA group.

The workers were completely taken by surprise Tuesday night. Among the new plans, which go to the heart of Opel go, nothing was known, he told the union: "The IG Metall is completely surprised by this message." Such measures require co-determination ", and these co-management rights will also be exercised by IG Metall". Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug, the boss of the Opel Business Committee, has even spoken of an "unprecedented provocation" plans should apply.

An affront to Opel employees

According to the The World in April Presentation for those who are interested in finding a sustainable solution for employees through a concept "partnership" or "co-ownership". What is behind all of this is not clear. For sale are therefore the vehicle development departments, the development of driving, the tooling and even the test track. If that happened, the fears of the critical workers could prove true, according to the PSA in the acquisition mainly on a German brand schielte, which can sell better internationally than the French.

It would also be an affront to Opel employees. German workers had just fought against PSA. The group, led by CEO Carlos Tavares and his German governor Michael Lohscheller, demanded very significant concessions from employees, which they rejected and Chancellor Angela Merkel on their side. "We are now expecting the company to respect everything it has promised in the context of the acquisition," Merkel said in April of this year.

A few weeks later, the dispute was settled. At the end of May, the PSA Group and employees agreed on a comprehensive job security until July 2023 included. Opel is committed to reducing the number of employees in its locations in Germany by about 3,700 on various departure programs and early retirement. At the same time, the development center should receive more tasks