Siemens VDO, the electronic auto parts maker of engineering giant
Siemens, wants to relocate part of its manufacturing activities in
Wuerzburg, Southwest Germany, to the Czech Republic in mid-2006 in
order to help cut costs, a company spokesman said on Friday. Siemens
VDO's factory in the north Moravian city of Ostrava will specialise in
the manufacture of technically less complex components, while the
company would endeavour to retain as many jobs as possible in
Wuerzburg, where the workforce numbers 1,600, the spokesman said. The
powerful IG Metall labour union and employee representatives have long
expressed concern that most of the Wuerzburg jobs could be relocated to
the Czech Republic.