Update: Saturn Astra Production Resumes - Workers Return To Work

[Perian]

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...57132620080108

While the article does not mention the Saturn Astra, it is produced at the plant in question. Production of our Astra may or may not be affected.

BRUSSELS, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Production at General Motors' Opel plant in Antwerp came to a halt on Tuesday as workers protested about irregularities in their pay, a union official said.

"There's a spontaneous strike. The production line is stopped," the official said, adding about 150 workers had downed tools on the production line from about 10.30 a.m.

The plant was hit by industrial action from April to June last year after GM Europe announced 1,400 jobs, about a third of the workforce, would be cut due to plans not to build the next generation of its top-selling Astra model in Belgium.

A spokesman for the company in Germany said he could not make any immediate comment.

UPDATE: CNN REPORTS WORKERS HAVE GONE BACK TO THE LINE.

[xPUMPx]

150 people?!?! they are gone

[CrunkedRL]

Originally Posted by Perian

Link:
"There's a spontaneous strike. The production line is stopped," the official said, adding about 150 workers had downed tools on the production line from about 10.30 a.m.

The plant was hit by industrial action from April to June last year after GM Europe announced 1,400 jobs, about a third of the workforce, would be cut due to plans not to build the next generation of its top-selling Astra model in Belgium.

A spokesman for the company in Germany said he could not make any immediate comment.

So with all the speculation circulating around and the continued weakening dollar against the Euro I wonder if their is a strong possibility production of the next gen Astra would move to the states. Logistically it would make more sense IMO and GM has already announced the Opel Zafira along with a clone would be produced here. Either way I think this strike couldn't have been at a worst time considering this is the eve before the Astra is to be launched in the states.

[SirRaven]

Im just glad mine has already been built and shipped.

Personally I feel doing things like this only hurts their chances of getting more work. Why would a company invest money in people who walk off the job? Why not invest it at a plant that works hard and builds good quality cars?

[bone]

Did these workers strike over a long-standing pay issue or something very recent? If it was recent, why strike? Surely this could have been resolved through negotiations. It's my impression that western European workers are much more likely to strike than their North American counterparts. I agree with Crunked RL in that future Astras etc. should be built in N.A.

[gardnet1]

Good! The Euro is unbearably high and I hear some factories in Moraine OH, Orion & Osawa are looking for product. Maybe we can export the Astra to Europe!

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Any chance that Chevy could get a rebadged Astra? Chevy could use a nice little sport hatch priced from the high-teens.

I would also like to see Chevy get a Kappa coupe. Chevy could use some sporty zing priced from the high-teens to mid-20k.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by gardnet1

Good! The Euro is unbearably high and I hear some factories in Moraine OH, Orion & Osawa are looking for product. Maybe we can export the Astra to Europe!

Orion and Oshawa are pretty well off, Orion just started production of the '08 Malibus along with Fairfax, and Oshawa already produces a lot of GM's sedans. It's Moraine Assembly that really needs new product, I've lived near to that facility my whole life, and I really don't want to see Moraine shut down after they cancel the GMT-360s this year.

[coaster.n3rd]

Originally Posted by New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66

Any chance that Chevy could get a rebadged Astra? Chevy could use a nice little sport hatch priced from the high-teens.

''Noooo... blatant re badges. I'm sure Chevy will get a Delta counterpart to the Astra, I just hope it comes in Sedan/coupe form and not hatch. We don't need further cannibalization of the Saturn brand.

[The Law]

production would be nice here in NA(Mexico most likely) but not full production euro should have limited production for their market.

[GM-Joe]

Why make them in Belgium, when it is cheaper to make them in Poland and Mexico. I hate that, but if toyoda does it, GM must do it as well or there will be no more GM as we know it.

[civilzues]

good, so we will see them in April? they were suppose to be here at thanksgiving, then i got pushed back to Jan now I call a dealership to test drive one and its mid FEB! come on!