Opel workers push GM for more production in Europe

FRANKFURT Oct 31 (Reuters) - Opel's workers want parent company General Motors Co to shift more production to Europe by making the next generation of several models there, Automotive News Europe reported.

"GM would like to have the subcompact (Agila) produced in South Korea. Instead, we will fight to have it built in Gliwice (Poland), starting in late 2014," the quarterly magazine quoted Opel labour leader Klaus Franz as saying on Monday.

He said the next generation Agila would not be built by Suzuki Motor Corp because the Japanese carmaker had found another partner.

The factory in Gliwice, which has 3,400 employees, currently makes the Astra and Zafira models.

Franz also said he hopes production of the sport utility vehicle Antara will be shifted from South Korea to Germany.

"We are making the case for assembling the next generation of the Antara in Bochum together with the Chevrolet Captiva, since it is based on the compact high-roof architecture," Franz said.

The plant in the German city of Bochum, one of four factories in Germany, makes the Zafira and Astra models.

An additional crossover model based on GM's compact car architecture could be built in Opel's Spanish plant in Zaragoza, Franz said.

GM also plans to have a small SUV built in South Korea starting in late 2012, but Franz said Opel is "making the case to build the car in our Spanish factory in Zaragoza", though he conceded: "Unfortunately, there isn't much chance that GM will change its mind."