14 January, 2010Thousands of Saab workers demonstrate outside plant in Trollhättan, Sweden in protest of GM's moves to close the plant.
SWEDEN: Around 4,000 employees at Saab stopped work and held a protest at the plant in Trollhättan on 12 January 2010 in protest of GM's moves to close the plant, despite potential bidders for Saab Automobile AB and the brand Saab.
"The best economical solution to save money and avoid costs is for General Motors is to sell Saab, rather than to wind-down the company," stated a leaflet produced by the four local unions taking action at Saab.
"The owner General Motors is acting irresponsibly when giving signals in two different directions - initiating liquidation of Saab at the same time as potential purchasers are bidding," said IF Metall President Stefan Löven in support of the workers' protest.
"This is not only a question of a business transaction, but also a question of the future and quality of life for a large number of people," said Löven.
GM has been trying to sell Saab since January last year. Saab employs 3,400 people in Sweden and was founded in 1937. Saab was bought by GM in 1989.