Opel workers in Germany vent anger at GM

RUESSELSHEIM, Germany, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Thousands of Opel auto workers in Germany downed tools on Thursday to show their anger at U.S. parent General Motors [GM.UL] for its decision to abandon a Russian-backed rescue plan.

"We want Opel to continue to exist," Hesse state Premier Roland Koch -- one of the biggest lobbyists for a sale to Magna (MGa.TO) and its Russian partner Sberbank (SBER03.MM) -- told rallying workers at Opel headquarters in Ruesselsheim.

"We will have to fight again with the goal of saving jobs."

GM's board this week reversed the U.S. carmaker's decision to sell a majority stake in Opel, angering the governments of Germany and Russia and irking Opel staff in Germany who had pinned hopes on Magna to save as many jobs as possible. [ID:nN03259172]

Around half of Opel's 50,000 staff work in Germany.

One worker protesting GM's decision in Ruesselsheim was dressed as an undertaker and carried a black coffin made of styrofoam. Another held a sign that said: "We don't need sex because management screws us every day."

Like Magna, GM plans to cut Opel staff by a fifth and has said its European arm faced insolvency if workers do not agree to cost cuts and countries with Opel plants do not contribute to its 3 billion euro ($4.5 billion) restructuring plan.

As anti-American sentiment swelled in Germany, Koch warned GM not to "maximise profits by taking German workers hostage".

Staff had agreed with jilted suitor Magna on 265 million euros in annual savings, but Opel labour leader Klaus Franz again rejected cost concessions from workers to help out GM, whom many in Germany blame for mismanaging Opel into losses.