GM still struggling in Europe
August 2, 2012![Worker at Opel plant in Rüsselsheim, Germany](https://static.dw.com/image/16063860_800.webp)
Presenting second-quarter earnings in Detroit on Thursday, GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said that "management and German unions are continuing to discuss a broad range of issues that will help ensure the sustainability of the business, including productivity, cost and capacity."
He said he hoped to have a "comprehensive deal" with unions by the autumn.
GM reported a second-quarter operating loss of $361 million (296 million euros) in Europe - less than rival Ford's $404 million loss in the region, but much worse than last year's profit of $102 million.
Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann told reporters that GM had been working around the problems in Europe for a "number of quarters" and said the company is bracing for more trouble.
"If we're talking about the general European economy and the industry overall, we continue to see a very challenging environment in the second half," he said.
Overall net income at GM fell to $1.5 billion from $2.5 billion in the second quarter of 2011, which Akerson blamed mainly on the strengthening US dollar.
mkg/jm (AFP, Reuters, dpa)