!NEW! Official Opening of Global Business Services in Tychy

120 new employees to support Opel/Vauxhall colleagues across Europe

In the presence of Jerzy Majchrzak, Director Innovation and Industry Department in Ministry of Economy, and Ulrich Schumacher, Opel Group Vice President HR & Labor Director, the newly established Global Business Services Center was opened in Tychy today. This new center will offer support to over 20 local Opel/Vauxhall facilities in Europe providing services from serving as the first point of contact for employees in all HR related matters to data maintenance, expense reporting and training. Presently, 90 consultants out of a total of 120 have already been hired.

Jerzy Majchrzak, Director Innovation and Industry Department in Ministry of Economy, Stefan Hoffmann, Assistant Director GBS Europe, Anna Polak-Kocińska, Vice President of Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, Andrzej Dziuba, Mayor of Tychy and Ulrich Schumacher, Opel Group Vice President HR & Labor Director (from left to right) at the official opening of the Global Business Services Center in Tychy.

“We welcome the fact that General Motors is opening new kinds of business activities in Poland alongside the traditional automotive business. The new shared service center will create a number of new jobs for the people of the region. This is further proof of GM’s significant commitment to Poland and confirmation that, thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Economy, a good environment for investors has been created,” said Jerzy Majchrzak at the opening ceremony.

Ulrich Schumacher, Opel Group Vice President HR & Labor Director added: “We are delighted that we have managed to bundle an important part of our service activities for Europe here in Poland. This investment is further proof of the important role that Poland plays in the international Opel/Vauxhall network.”

The newly opened General Motors Global Business Services Center is part of GM Manufacturing Poland and is located in the Tychy plant facilities. GM Manufacturing Poland currently employs a total of 3,900 people in three branches: vehicle manufacturing in Gliwice, engine manufacturing in Tychy and the newly opened Tychy GBS Center. In the second half of this year, the Gliwice plant will begin production of the new generation Opel Astra. Furthermore, a new engine family will be produced in the Tychy plant.

Opel is one of the fastest growing brands in Poland. In 2014, the brand sold more than 28,000 vehicles in the country (+41 percent) and was able to rise to number four of the total vehicle market with a market share of nearly 7.2 percent. The upward trend continued this year: In the first two months of 2015, sales increased by more than 24 percent and market share by around 2 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

!NEW! Employee representatives and management agree on corner points of social collective labor contract for Opel Bochum

IG Metall, the Bochum works council and the management of Adam Opel AG have agreed on major, binding corner points of a social collective labor contract for the Opel plant in Bochum:

•       Car production will end, as announced, on December 31, 2014.

•       Opel to remain in Bochum: the company will invest 60 million euros in the warehouse and increase its workforce in the coming years with a further 265 positions, totaling 700 jobs.

•       At least 200 employees will have the chance to move to other Opel plants.

•       Attractive, individual compensation packages will be offered - including a two-year transfer company.

•       Training continues: 171 apprentices will have the chance to get their degrees over the course of the next years. A further 40 apprentices will start as of 2014.

Ulrich Schumacher, HR Director of Adam Opel AG: "In this difficult situation it has been our goal to come to responsible and socially-acceptable solutions for our Bochum employees.  We have achieved this together - in intense but constructive discussions with the works council and IG Metall. We have reached an agreement concerning the most important cornerstones of a social collective labor contract. I am very happy that we can now provide clarity to our staff. "

Vehicle production at the Bochum site is secure for the whole year 2014 and will end as announced on December 31, 2014.

The existing contract for the warehouse which is currently operated by the logistics company Neovia, will be renewed. In the coming years, Opel will invest 60 million euros in this area. This means the existing 430 jobs can be secured in the long term. In addition, 265 more jobs will be created.

Opel will offer individual packages to the employees affected by the discontinuation of vehicle production. These offers are based on individual needs and will support a reorientation of employees. Attractive compensation, a two-year transfer company and special programs for older employees will create prospects for individuals. A minimum of 200 Bochum employees will have the possibility of moving to other Opel plants.

Particular emphasis will be on the placement and qualification of employees in other fields of activity in the greater region of Bochum. This will be pursued in particular by the ‘Bochum 2022 perspective’. Cooperation with other reputable companies should lead to attractive employment opportunities.

The company will make sure that the training of the current 171 Opel apprentices can be finalized properly in cooperation with TÜV Nord Bildung Opel GmbH. In 2014, 40 additional young people will get the chance to start their apprenticeship.

Together with the ‘Bochum Perspektive 2022’ initiative and the ‘Lernfabrik’ project, we will create the prerequisites to make today's training an integral part of a joint training system equipped for the challenges of the future.