Opel Ceo To Face Heat From Workers Over Likely Plant Closure

Business article on Opel CEO to face heat from workers over likely plant closure regarding Bochum, Production, Plant, Workers, Close, German, Years, Opel, Russelheim, Britain, Brand, Vauxhall, Amount, Present, Wirtschaftswoche

The head of General Motors unit Opel will face workers' concerns on Monday over reported plans to shut one of its four German plants as the automaker pulls production of the Astra, its best-selling model, from the country.

Opel's Chief Executive Karl-Friedrich Stracke is due to address workers at Germany's Bochum plant, which a source close to negotiations has said is the most likely to be shut.

A decision to close the plant would be one of the most dramatic so far as Europe's carmakers look to restructure in response to more than four years of declines in demand and profits.

The Bochum plant employs around 3,100 and has a production capacity of around 160,000 cars a year.

A German labor representative has also told the weekly WirtschaftsWoche that he would present evidence that Opel has been secretly preparing what would amount to the closure of the Bochum plant.

GM, which sells under the Vauxhall brand in Britain, is expected to halt production of the Astra at Opel's main plant in Ruesselsheim, Germany, making the car only in Britain and Poland as it revamps the business to counter more than a decade of losses in Europe.

Labor leaders have criticized the move and said it breaches promises by Opel's management made to workers two years ago.

Production at Bochum would likely then be shifted to Russelheim.