Thousands Rally in Germany Against GM Restructuring Plans

[Oracle of Delphi]

Thousands of workers employed by General Motors in Europe took to the streets Thursday, Feb. 26, to demonstrate against the giant US carmaker's sweeping restructuring plans and to save their jobs.

Thousands of workers employed by General Motors in Europe took to the streets Thursday to demonstrate against the giant US carmaker's sweeping restructuring plans and to save their jobs.

The protests came as GM's German offshoot Opel prepared to unveil a rescue plan for the German operations and the government in Berlin stepped up its criticism of the US-based auto group amid a deepening crisis in the global car industry.

Carrying placards saying "No closures in Europe," "Free Opel" and "Opel cannot be allowed to die," up to 15,000 demonstrators turned up for the rally held at Opel's German headquarters in the western city of Ruesselsheim.

Many workers were bussed in from other Opel plants in Eisenach, Bochum and Kaiserslautern to protest planned job cuts and closures.

Trade union IG Metall's boss Berthold Huber told the assembled masses that Opel could not be allowed to perish. "We're not going to accept plant closures or layoffs," he said.

Steinmeier pledges to keep Opel in business

Demonstrators listened intently as Germany's Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier pledged to help keep Opel in business.

"This is a fight for jobs and I'm fighting without any reservation for you," Steinmeier said outside the company, which has been making cars in Germany since 1899. "Opel is a part of German history. We've got to defend that history.

"This is about more than just Opel. It's about the future of the car industry in Germany. The car sector isn't just any ordinary industry here. It's the backbone of our economy," Steinmeier, the Social Democrat's chancellor candidate chosen to run against Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's federal election, said.

Merkel told a news conference in Berlin she had not yet seen the required restructuring plan to decide on any state help for Opel but that if it needed it, the priority would be financing guarantees rather than more direct state aid.

"Germany has an interest in strengthening companies which have a strong foundation," she said.

Opel, once Germany's biggest carmaker, is just one of General Motors' European brands which are near collapse in the wake of the global crisis. The German firm has been hit by weak demand and its woes have been aggravated by troubles at its US parent.

It became the first European carmaker to seek a government bailout since the financial crisis began, asking the German government for backing to guarantee loans of about 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) for 2009. Sources close to the company say it needs 3.3 billion euros to keep afloat through to the end of 2011.

Economics minister blasts GM

At the same time of the demonstrations, German Economics Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg was lashing out at Detroit-based GM, criticizing the company for failing to provide adequate information about future business plan for Opel.

The German Economics Minister said up until now both potential investors and the German Government still did not know what the GM group planned for Opel, which is expected to unveil a rescue plan possibly on Friday which Opel hopes will pave the way for Berlin to provide the struggling carmaker with aid.

But the European Commission warned Thursday that it would take action to head off countries providing what it considered to be unfair support to their national car sectors.

In addition to Germany, GM has operations in Britain, Spain and Sweden. However, GM's Swedish SAAB company has already filed for bankruptcy protection.

As part of the plans under consideration by Opel, the auto group is also weighing up breaking away completely from its troubled US parent that is threatened with insolvency despite $17.4 billion Washington lent GM and rival Chrysler last year.

GM's far-reaching restructuring plans include big job cuts worldwide and could result in its hiving off parts of its international operations.

German carmakers including Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, the manufacturer of luxury Mercedes-Benz cars have already cut production and placed employees on reduced working hours as they face up to the global economic slowdown.

Link: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4058508,00.html

[Camino LS6]

[Oracle of Delphi]

I need a Freedom emoticon ...

[Camino LS6]

This used to be one:

[Oracle of Delphi]

I mean in a European sense, perhaps something like William Wallace yelling Freedom as Longshanks had him drawn and quartered ......

[cletus8269]

This used to be one:

[Camino LS6]

I mean in a European sense, perhaps something like William Wallace yelling Freedom as Longshanks had him drawn and quartered ......

You're no Scotsman!

[Oracle of Delphi]

You're no Scotsman!

That's true, but they are my in-laws now that my niece married one. Speaking of which, I still can't stand him, even more so now, that I saw him interact with his mother, he is so a mommy's boy ....

[Blake Noble]

I salute the German people for standing up and showing support for one of their domestic automakers.

I wish that the American people still had the glorious, brazen brass balls of yesteryear to understand what is at stake and do the same here at home for the Big Three.

Edited February 27, 2009 by YellowJacket894

[Camino LS6]

I salute the German people for standing up and showing support for one of their domestic automakers.

I wish that the American people still had the glorious, brazen brass balls of yesteryear to understand what is at stake and do the same here at home for the Big Three.

[Oracle of Delphi]

We are Germans, we love a good fight and a beer or two ...

[Intrepidation]

We are Germans, we love to loose a fight and a beer or two ...

[Oracle of Delphi]

We didn't lose, who rebuilt our country? Hmmmm?

[Intrepidation]

You lost twice, as I recall, to of the biggest fights the world has ever known.

[Oracle of Delphi]

You lost twice, as I recall, to of the biggest fights the world has ever known.

Keep it up, you just might start fight number three ...

[Intrepidation]

So you can loose again?

[Oracle of Delphi]

So you can loose again?

What's good for GM is good for America, you're looking sickly these days ...

[Blake Noble]

We didn't lose, who rebuilt our country? Hmmmm?

Long story short, the United States of America and the other Allied nations had West Germany and the Soviets had East Germany. The US and the Allies helped to rebuild West Germany to prosperity, the Soviets f@#ked East Germany deep and hard.

Now I'm sure I've threw an error in there somewhere, but I know I haven't drank away all of my brain cells just yet. I still remember my basic world history.

Edited February 27, 2009 by YellowJacket894

[Oracle of Delphi]

Long story short, the United States of America and the other Allied nations had West Germany and the Soviets had East Germany. The US and the Allies helped to rebuild West Germany to prosperity, the Soviets f@#ked East Germany deep and hard.

Now I'm sure I've threw an error in there somewhere, but I know I haven't drank away all of my brain cells just yet. I still remember my basic world history.

And we thank you for all your Amerikan dollars that rebuilt our manufacturing base ...

[Robert Hall]

Interesting you don't see things like that in the US currently...workers marching in the streets in Detroit, looting and burning buildings, etc.

[Oracle of Delphi]

They estimated there were 14 - 15K protesting in front of Opel ...

[Blake Noble]

And we thank you for all your Amerikan dollars that rebuilt our manufacturing base ...

And you're welcome.

Just don't frown too hard when we call up your tab.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I still don't understand WTF the big deal is... GM hasn't mentioned ANYTHING about "killing" Opel and I'd suspect EXACTLY the opposite since Opel is vital to the future of the corporation right now.

Can someone please enlighten me (Besides the German government trying to control everything and doing what they've always done -- think about it, you'll get the reference)

[Oracle of Delphi]

I still don't understand WTF the big deal is... GM hasn't mentioned ANYTHING about "killing" Opel and I'd suspect EXACTLY the opposite since Opel is vital to the future of the corporation right now.

Can someone please enlighten me (Besides the German government trying to control everything and doing what they've always done -- think about it, you'll get the reference)

They want to be free and independent of GM ...

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I salute the German people for standing up and showing support for one of their domestic automakers.

I wish that the American people still had the glorious, brazen brass balls of yesteryear to understand what is at stake and do the same here at home for the Big Three.

+1

Too bad americans are so stupid.

I am a bit pissed at the germans though. If I were GM, they'd never get Opel back. At the very least, it'd sink with the rest of the ship.

It does surprise me though.. Since Opel is considered by many to be a joke.

Edited February 27, 2009 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

And we thank you for all your Amerikan dollars that rebuilt our manufacturing base ...

Hey.. don't mention it!

Here in america, we love whoring ourselves out and bending over for anyone we can please.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

They want to be free and independent of GM ...

Sure..

Have at it.

If GM can't survive, what makes them think an independent Opel can? That'll be an epic fail and fun times to watch.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Interesting you don't see things like that in the US currently...workers marching in the streets in Detroit, looting and burning buildings, etc.

Culture of defeat...

Our media has convinced them that they're second class citizens that work for a second class company that deserves to die. Then they can "get an education" and f*ck people over like everyone else by "serving" the Chinese our wealth and "predicting/analyzing" the downfall of what's LEFT of america.

[Robert Hall]

+1

Too bad americans are so stupid.

I think for many Americans today, GM's situation is little more than a big bowl of 'meh'. They are happy with their Toyotas and Hondas, so why care about GM? They don't see the big picture. There are a LOT of people out there, not just those under 40, who only encounter domestics as rentals, taxis, or cop cars.

I was talking w/ a coworker yesterday about the state of the auto industry, and he was talking about how the Prius doesn't make sense for the price/fuel economy, and that for the money, he'd rather buy 2 Corollas and was bragging about how good his '00 Corolla was, and how GM used to make 'good' cars like the Chevy Sprint and Geo Metro but that they got away from it. I gave up at that point. And this guy is apparently an ultraconservative cheapskate, you would think he's be all 'Buy American' from a patriotic angle, but nooo.

Edited February 27, 2009 by moltar

[Z-06]

Americans have been lulled into so called "power of democracy", "power of choice", "power of freedom" and all other notions of power that they have forgotten their real identity.

The notion of believing the way we operate as the best system of management of a country is a self-smugging notion of letting ourselves not improve our system efficiently and quickly. An efficient and self adapting system is what made America two hundred years ago - a vibrant state ready to adapt itself to harsh realities and difficulties while making best of the current conditions. It is this mentality that propelled US into a superpower and made it stay for long. What is happening now is a perfect 180-degree of what happened two hundred years ago.

Frankly, what is the idea of having the power of democracy when we elect crooks no matter which side we vote for? These guys have one notion of making as much money while they are in office and look for keeping their votes safe and then help the cronies gain more money who gave them money to be elected by taking money from all the common people. It is these people who lull us into believing we have power, when frankly we have none.

US is like the movie Matrix in real world. So as long the bubba gets money to fish on the weekend, drink beer, watch cars turning left and have a po-dunk job that is all he cares. So as long the working professional gets ride in airplane to do his job, ride his brand new boat on the weekend, dine at expensive places, he is happy with it. So as long the coke addict who makes chidren to live on social support income gets his coke, beer, and his hallucination along with the monthly social funds check, he is happy with it. It burns me to see how much apathy people have about everything. The people will be apathetic even if all the world comes and resides in this country so as long they get what they wanted regardless of what is best for the country. And the legal, political and economic system want us to believe that getting these things are our powers regardless that these things come at the sacrifice of our own country.

By making us hear what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear we have made ourselves a lot vulnerable and tend not look at reality. Sometimes the best message is the bad message, because it can prepare us to wear out the storm and be ready for the future in a strong manner. But media will not pull it that way. Rather than providing facts it provides provocation of emotions and mostly bad ones.

The legal, financial, and political systems have been whored out so much that frankly more than anything America needs a brand new constitution, a brand new way to govern, and a brand new set of people managing the country in short it should be a USA version 2.0. In some ways Obama is a right step, but he will not cure all the problems as many people believe or want themselves to believe. So as long Pelocies, Reids, Franks, Roves, Coutlers, Limbaughs, Olbermans, etc. exist Obama will be a face value and a possible scapegoat if things go south. The very people with money, mouth and power who elected him will bad mouth him if he does not do what they wanted in their best interests.

America needs a revolution, which has to come from all the people not one or two individuals. But the country is fractured so much that such a movement will only be a pipe dream. I want to see people finally saying we have had enough from these lawyers, lawmakers, financial buffoons, and media and take essential steps to correct them.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

And this guy is apparently an ultraconservative cheapskate, you would think he's be all 'Buy American' from a patriotic angle, but nooo.

Nah...

GMI has that big debate raging right now (conservative buy american, liberals buy foreign)

My take is NEITHER cons or libs like Detroit. Conservatives around here seem to drive Toyotas and Liberals often have Hondas or Subarus (extreme liberals)

Yet another ASPECT of our population that the asians worked to (probably collaborated on) "divide evenly down the middle"

It's all so perfect, it's almost like an attack or plan. Toyota is the new GM, (big, lots of vanilla cars) Honda is the new Ford (smaller, more detail focus) and Nissan is the new Chrysler (the semi-weird, moody one that produces either big hits or big misses) And the media perpetuates this now too; it's all part of the plan.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Americans have been lulled into so called "power of democracy", "power of choice", "power of freedom" and all other notions of power that they have forgotten their real identity.

The notion of believing the way we operate as the best system of management of a country is a self-smugging notion of letting ourselves not improve our system efficiently and quickly. An efficient and self adapting system is what made America two hundred years ago - a vibrant state ready to adapt itself to harsh realities and difficulties while making best of the current conditions. It is this mentality that propelled US into a superpower and made it stay for long. What is happening now is a perfect 180-degree of what happened two hundred years ago.

Frankly, what is the idea of having the power of democracy when we elect crooks no matter which side we vote for? These guys have one notion of making as much money while they are in office and look for keeping their votes safe and then help the cronies gain more money who gave them money to be elected by taking money from all the common people. It is these people who lull us into believing we have power, when frankly we have none.

US is like the movie Matrix in real world. So as long the bubba gets money to fish on the weekend, drink beer, watch cars turning left and have a po-dunk job that is all he cares. So as long the working professional gets ride in airplane to do his job, ride his brand new boat on the weekend, dine at expensive places, he is happy with it. So as long the coke addict who makes chidren to live on social support income gets his coke, beer, and his hallucination along with the monthly social funds check, he is happy with it. It burns me to see how much apathy people have about everything. The people will be apathetic even if all the world comes and resides in this country so as long they get what they wanted regardless of what is best for the country. And the legal, political and economic system want us to believe that getting these things are our powers regardless that these things come at the sacrifice of our own country.

By making us hear what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear we have made ourselves a lot vulnerable and tend not look at reality. Sometimes the best message is the bad message, because it can prepare us to wear out the storm and be ready for the future in a strong manner. But media will not pull it that way. Rather than providing facts it provides provocation of emotions and mostly bad ones.

The legal, financial, and political systems have been whored out so much that frankly more than anything America needs a brand new constitution, a brand new way to govern, and a brand new set of people managing the country in short it should be a USA version 2.0. In some ways Obama is a right step, but he will not cure all the problems as many people believe or want themselves to believe. So as long Pelocies, Reids, Franks, Roves, Coutlers, Limbaughs, Olbermans, etc. exist Obama will be a face value and a possible scapegoat if things go south. The very people with money, mouth and power who elected him will bad mouth him if he does not do what they wanted in their best interests.

Excellemnt post!

America needs a revolution, which has to come from all the people not one or two individuals. But the country is fractured so much that such a movement will only be a pipe dream.

Hence my saying in Novemebr that if we're going to unite, we need to do it now before it's too late.

And hence my saying that the "melting pot" effect will NEVER allow us to unite like we once did.

[Robert Hall]

Nah...

GMI has that big debate raging right now (conservative buy american, liberals buy foreign)

My take is NEITHER cons or libs like Detroit. Conservatives around here seem to drive Toyotas and Liberals often have Hondas or Subarus (extreme liberals)

Yet another ASPECT of our population that the asians worked to (probably collaborated on) "divide evenly down the middle"

It's all so perfect, it's almost like an attack or plan. Toyota is the new GM, (big, lots of vanilla cars) Honda is the new Ford (smaller, more detail focus) and Nissan is the new Chrysler (the semi-weird, moody one that produces either big hits or big misses) And the media perpetuates this now too; it's all part of the plan.

Well put... Toyota/Honda/Nissan really are the Big 3 of the Modern World...

One wierd observation I've noticed over the last decade are the people I've worked with that seem pretty conservative (social and fiscal) often have giant Dodge Ram pickups and Camrys...but American sedans? Not common in my anecdotal observations in Colorado Springs and Denver suburbia.

Of course, there are all sorts out there..I have three friends who are Libertarians (huge Ron Paul fans) and all drive Priuses, and a liberal friend from Boulder, Colorado has a Prius (commuter car), Subaru Outback (wife's car), and a new Challenger SRT8 (turning 40 fun car).

[Robert Hall]

Excellemnt post!

Hence my saying in Novemebr that if we're going to unite, we need to do it now before it's too late.

And hence my saying that the "melting pot" effect will NEVER allow us to unite like we once did.

I really like the Matrix analogy... as I sit here in my cubicle and count my billable hours...

[Drew Dowdell]

I need a Freedom emoticon ...

I believe this is the preferred european method.

[David]

Nah...

GMI has that big debate raging right now (conservative buy american, liberals buy foreign)

My take is NEITHER cons or libs like Detroit. Conservatives around here seem to drive Toyotas and Liberals often have Hondas or Subarus (extreme liberals)

Yet another ASPECT of our population that the asians worked to (probably collaborated on) "divide evenly down the middle"

It's all so perfect, it's almost like an attack or plan. Toyota is the new GM, (big, lots of vanilla cars) Honda is the new Ford (smaller, more detail focus) and Nissan is the new Chrysler (the semi-weird, moody one that produces either big hits or big misses) And the media perpetuates this now too; it's all part of the plan.

-----------------------------

Remember WWII, Japan said that since they could not beat america in war, they would beat them economically. They have now done that in almost all ways except in our Computer / Technology sector. Here we still mostly lead, but I see many getting lazzy about that also. Sad state of affairs.

[balthazar]

Heard on the news today that the more expensive mercedes & BMWs in Germany are starting to get torched as signs of conspicuous consumption. Which is really weird since the majority of those brands in Germany are taxis, police cars & fleet vehicles, you know; 'working class' vehicles. Wacky Germans.

[Robert Hall]

Heard on the news today that the more expensive mercedes & BMWs in Germany are starting to get torched as signs of conspicuous consumption. Which is really weird since the majority of those brands in Germany are taxis, police cars & fleet vehicles, you know; 'working class' vehicles. Wacky Germans.

Interesting...actually, the fleet (taxi, police, etc) Mercs I've seen in Europe tend to be C- and E- class diesels. S-classes are probably primarily executive lease vehicles.

[longtooth]

Excellemnt post!

Hence my saying in Novemebr that if we're going to unite, we need to do it now before it's too late.

And hence my saying that the "melting pot" effect will NEVER allow us to unite like we once did.

The "melting pot" fable was oversold from the git.

More a thickly viscous and oozing badly executed fondue.

The 'melting pot' expression might've been cooked up by the victors out of one conflict or another since the victors get to write history. Easy enough to Gooooogle, but I won't.

As for uniting as we once did the a la the original patriot movement, Spirit of '76 etc,, rah, rah and other such tepid and easy-to-remember doggerel, the group which 'united' was a rag-tag bunch conscripted by monied landowners to fight. Parallels today's climate somewhat.

To paraphrase Gen. George S. Patton: "No man ever won a war by dying for his country. Wars were won by making the other poor bastard die for his."

Up until now we've never lacked for cannon fodder to do our Nation's bidding.

Maybe the day will come upon us so that something substantive will demand real sacrifice of us.

I pray to God that He spares us from what we so richly deserve.

My moral being preached here: Don't be so eager to commit yourself to any cause which wants for a clear objective.

Edited February 28, 2009 by longtooth

[CSpec]

Interesting...actually, the fleet (taxi, police, etc) Mercs I've seen in Europe tend to be C- and E- class diesels. S-classes are probably primarily executive lease vehicles.

Yeah, I was in a nice E-class taxi in France. Leather, nav, etc. Of course the fare cost 40 Euros, but hey.