“The Saab Trollhättan workforce has made enormous sacrifices to reduce costs and help this GM company survive the economic crisis. These efforts, together with the consultation process with the Swedish unions and authorities, have produced a viable business plan for the future of the company. We trust therefore that General Motors will fully shoulder its responsibilities and agree on an alternative solution to closure of the Trollhättan plant so that all these efforts will not have been in vain”, stated EMF General Secretary Peter Scherrer today.

Closure would mean the loss of the 3,400 direct jobs in the company as well as up to 10,000 indirect jobs in supplier companies in the region. Manufacturing industry in the area has already been hard hit by the crisis, but closure of Saab would also put the entire Swedish vehicle manufacturing industry at risk.

Saab Automobile is in fact a viable company with a highly-skilled workforce that can produce high-quality, competitive cars. It is now ready to go ahead with production of a new model.

The European Metalworkers’ Federation fully supports the appeal from the Swedish unions to General Motors management to thoroughly investigate the new offers and initiatives as set out in the enclosed “Open letter to General Motors Board of Directors”, sent after the company’s announcement that it would begin closure of the Saab Automobile Trollhättan plant last Friday.

The EMF calls on GM management and the Swedish Government to work hand-in-hand to pursue all alternative avenues to closure.

The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry. The EMF has a mandate for the external representation and coordination of the metalworkers’ unions and a mandate to engage in bargaining at European level.

EMF – European Metalworkers´ Federation
FEM – Fédération Européenne des Métallurgistes
EMB – Europäischer Metallgewerkschaftsbund
International Trade Union House (ITUH)
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5 (Bte 10)
B-1210 Brussels
Tel.: +32-(0)2-227 10 10
Internet: www.emf-fem.org