A UNION representing workers at General Motors’ British Vauxhall unit says it fears at least 1,000 jobs could be cut under a planned takeover.
Tony Woodley, head of the Unite union, called for talks with Canadian car parts company Magna over the future of two British plants, which employ more than 5,000 workers.
“For Britain, there are likely be 1,000 or more job losses almost immediately in both plants,” said Mr Woodley.
“Worse than that, without the investment and with capacity being stolen from the plants to go elsewhere, there will be no long-term future for either of the British plants,” he added.
Magna and Russian partner Sberbank have agreed to buy a majority stake in GM’s European arm, Opel.
They plan to cut about 10,500 jobs from a workforce of 50,000, half of whom currently work in Germany.
Some countries that are home to Opel plants have urged the European Commission to ensure the deal with Magna did not favour German workers because of €4.5 billion in promised aid from Germany.
“The political stitch-up with the German government means that in the longer term all the other countries are going to lose out,” said Woodley.
– PA