Vauxhall jobs at risk amid GM shockwave

By Rob Welham

LONDON, June 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, creating uncertainty and fearin Europe's ailing car industry.

In Britain, there is particular concern for the more than 5,000car workers at Vauxhall, one of the several firms owned by the U.S. car giant. And despite reassurances from the British government, unions fear that employees will be left out in the cold.

DEAL BROKERED

On Saturday, it was announced that Canadian-Austrian parts manufacturer Magna had brokered a deal to buy Opel, a subsidiary of GM, which operates in Germany, Spain and Poland.

The German government is expected to put forward 1.5 billion euros (2.1 billion U.S. dollars) in loans into Opel.

But as of Monday there was still no word from the British government as to what action it might take to secure jobs at the two Vauxhall manufacturing plants.

Plants at Ellesmere Port, in northwest England, and Luton, to the north of London, manufacture Opel cars and vans under the brand name of Vauxhall. It is feared at least one of the two plants will be closed.