HispanicBusiness

General Motors' troubled European offshoot Adam Opel refused on Friday to reopen negotiations with unions on its plans for revamping the loss-making car maker.

Union representatives had called on the German-based Opel management to return to the negotiating table after about 76 per cent of the workforce voted against the company's restructuring proposals on Thursday.

"There needs to be further talks," Opel union leader Rainer Einenkel told dpa. "This contract is not acceptable."

But the company ruled out any additional talks on the plans, which would involve ending production at a plant in the western German city of Bochum by the end of next year.

The engineering union IG Metall said it plans to hold another vote in the coming weeks on the possible steps that could be taken to stop the plant from closing.