FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- General Motors Europe's workers plan warning strikes on May 3 to press for a deal that would secure enough production volume at GM's plant in Antwerp, the carmaker's European labor leader said today.

"Moreover we demand a contract guaranteeing the future of all GM Europe plants including Powertrain until the end of 2016," Klaus Franz told Reuters.

He would not rule out further industrial action in order to persuade GM to build more than just 80,000 units of what will likely be a small Chevrolet planned to plug in a yawning production gap left after management decided not to build the next-generation Astra compact in Antwerp beyond 2010.

GM Europe said on Wednesday, April 25, that management would study a staff demand for a second product for the plant and would discuss its findings at meetings.

Negotiations were being held with labor over the conditions under which four other GM Europe plants would get work to build a revamped version of the company's best-selling compact.

"No trade unionist, no works council member will take part in negotiations until Antwerp gets enough volume," Franz said.

GM Europe last week revealed plans to cut the equivalent of an entire shift or about 1,400 jobs, at its Belgian plant this year to trim surplus staff as overcapacities mount.

GM Europe was not immediately reachable for a comment.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews...641094620070426

Edited April 27, 200718 yr by Pontiac Custom-S

Nerds.

Close the plant. If it works for Walmart, it works for GM.

I just love the words they use: ".... we demand .... "

This is not a partnership, as it's euphemistically put. The union is extortionist. If GM is to survive, the union needs to back down.

This opinion based on evidence presented.

We demand you provide us with more funding and jobs to produce cars to sit on large stockyards for eternity because it gives us more jobs.