General Motors leaders rush to Germany
GM's proposed sale of Opel to France’s PSA runs up against some push-back from the chancellor and unions over job-loss fears
Berlin/Frankfurt — General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra has flown to Germany to alleviate concerns that her proposal to sell Opel to PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroën cars, could lead to job cuts. Germany’s political and labour leaders vowed to protect the brand’s workforce. Barra and GM president Dan Ammann "are in Russelsheim for talks with the Opel team", the vehicle maker said on Wednesday, one day after Bloomberg broke the news that the marque may be sold to PSA. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government was quick to say that any sale must come with guarantees to retain workers. "The company carries responsibility for the sites, the development centre and securing employment," German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said in a statement. "This is my clear expectation regarding General Motors." A combination would create a manufacturer with about 16% of the European car market, pushing past Renault to become the region’s second-biggest vehicle group after Volkswagen. A deal would ...
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