Opel Offers Buyouts for Transmission Worker at Bochum Plant

General Motors Co.'s Opel unit is offering unspecified severance deals to 300 transmission assemblers at its factory in Bochum, Germany, if they agree to leave this year.

Those who accept also can transfer to another Opel plant, and all will be eligible to join a transfer company for 12 months that can help them prepare for work elsewhere.

Bloomberg News says the agreement between Opel and the plant's works council was reached independent of talks between management and the IG Metall union about the fate of workers in Bochum's vehicle assembly operation.

Opel opted to close the Bochum plant, which once employed 3,200 people, before the end of next year after workers there rejected a concessionary contract in March.