Opel's Belgian plant workers mull end to strike

BRUSSELS, May 8 (Reuters) - Workers at General Motors' Opel GM.N plant could end their strike on Tuesday evening after management proposed a deal to maintain production and save jobs, a union official said.

"For the moment, workers are still on strike, but the night shift is invited to come in by 10 p.m. (20:00 GMT). We will present to them the offer," said Marc Dewilde, head of the case for Belgium's Christian union ACV-CSC.

Workers walked out in protest a decision by GM not to build the next-generation Astra model in Belgium as well as to cut 1,400 jobs in the plant in Antwerp, about a third of the workforce, this year.

But on Tuesday, GM Europe offered a deal that may secure enough production to make the plant viable.

"It is an improvement, and I think and hope they (the night shift) will start working," Dewilde added.

GM Europe said it planned to produce two models of a new generation vehicle for the European market, with annual production of 120,000 vehicles.

It said it would also look at opportunities for additional models, "assuming the ongoing competitiveness of the plant".

The Astra is GM's top model in Europe with nearly half a million sold last year.

GM's decision not to produce the new Astra in Belgium was another blow to the country's auto industry after Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) said last year it would cut its workforce in Brussels to 1,500 from over 5,000.

Europe's largest carmaker eventually offered the plant the prospect of building the new Audi A1, securing 2,200 jobs, but only after workers had accepted longer hours for the same pay.