- Title: GERMANY: OPEL CAR WORKERS STRIKE OVER JOB LOSSES.
- Date: 16th October 2004
- Summary: (EU) RUESSELSHEIM, GERMANY (OCTOBER 15, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PEOPLE WALKING PAST 2. (SOUNDBITE) (German) CARL-PETER FORSTER, GM EUROPE PRESIDENT SAYING: "Numbers such as 10,000 employees here in Germany have been mentioned. We have made clear: this is not about a dogma. We have described a problem which now needs to be properly dealt with." 3. WIDE OF CAMERA CREWS 4. (SOUNDBITE) (German) CARL-PETER FORSTER, GM EUROPE PRESIDENT SAYING: "As the president I don't see strikes as being helpful. We know of the problems and we are aware of the problems the employees have, rest assured. We will do everything we can to find solutions but we do not believe strikes are at all helpful. What is needed are solutions." 5. CAMERA CREWS FILMING 6. (SOUNDBITE) (German) KLAUS FRANZ, OPEL UNION BOSS SAYING: "We do not want to create the impression that we will walk out of this without job cuts. It is our goal to manage this as public-spirited as possible. At the same time, we have very clear demands and positions." 7. WIDE OF CAMERA CREWS 8. CAMERA CREWS 9. OFFICIAL HANDING OUT STATEMENT FOR REPORTERS 10. OPEL CARS DRIVING OFF PREMISES (EU) FRANKFURT, GERMANY (OCTOBER 15, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. GERMAN ECONOMICS MINISTER WOLFGANG CLEMENT ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AND SITTING DOWN 12. CLOSE-UP OF CLEMENT 13. PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES 14. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENE 15. (SOUNDBITE) (German) WOLFGANG CLEMENT, GERMAN ECONOMICS MINISTER SAYING: "There might be ways which can save the company and don't cost more job losses than absolutely necessary. That is why I ask the Opel employees in Bochum and elsewhere, but especially in Bochum, that they don't down their tools. Work must continue and Opel must continue to ride along in Germany, at all plants, the main plant in Ruesselsheim and at all the other plants." 17. REPORTERS TAKING NOTES 18. (SOUNDBITE) (German) WOLFGANG CLEMENT, GERMAN ECONOMICS MINISTER SAYING: "We must continue to do everything we can to lower non-wage labour costs. Its clear this is also about Germany as a place to do business and its clear that the reform process that we have started has to go further. Non-wage labour costs must be lowered." 19. REPORTERS LISTENING 20. CAMERA CREWS FILMING 3.41 (W4)BOCHUM, GERMANY (OCTOBER 15, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 21. GV: WIDE OF BOCHUM OPEL PLANT WITH WORKERS ON STRIKE OUTSIDE 3.46 22. CU: OPEL SIGN ON ROOFTOP 3.52 23. CU: PLACARD READING "IF YOU DONT FIGHT YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST" 3.58 24. CU: PLACARD DEMANDING AN END TO JOB CUTS 4.03 25. MV: STRIKING WORKER 4.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 31st October 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RUESSELSHEIM,FRANKFURT AND BOCHUM, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA6SP3K5QZ911SZ987VXGZT4BMP
- Story Text: The president of General Motors Europe has opposed
strikes by Opel employees, while German Economics Minister
Wolfgang Clement insisted there are ways to save jobs.
"As the president I don't see strikes as being
helpful. We know of the problems and we are aware of the
problems the employees have, rest assured," General Motors
Europe president
Carl-Peter Forster told reporters in Ruesselsheim on Friday
(October 15).
"We will do everything we can to find solutions but we
do not believe strikes are at all helpful. What is needed
are solutions," Forster said, speaking at Opel headquarters.
Opel union boss Klaus Franz said at the same news
conference: "We do not want to create the impression that
we will walk out of this without job cuts. It is our goal
to manage this as public-spirited as possible."
"At the same time, we have very clear demands and
positions," Franz added.
In nearby Frankfurt, German Economics Minister Wolfgang
Clement asked Opel employees at the Bochum plant not to lay
down their tools after he held talks with regional
authorities about
Opels plans.
"There might be ways which can save the company and
dont cost more job losses than absolutely necessary. That
is why I ask the Opel employees in Bochum and elsewhere,
but especially in Bochum, that they dont down their tools."
Staff outraged by General Motors plans to slash up to
12,000 jobs in Europe stopped work at an Opel plant in
Bochum as the shock from GMs move wave swept through
Germany's car sector.
Clement also underlined that Germany has to do more to
reduce labour costs. "Its clear this is also about Germany
as a place to do business and its clear that the reform
process that
we have started has to go further. Non-wage labour costs
must be lowered," Clement said.
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