Employees of GM subsidiaries in Europe took part in protests this week.

With General Motors struggling to survive in the economic downturn, employees of the company's European subsidiary Opel turned out in force in an effort to save their jobs.

Workers gathered in Rüsselsheim near Frankfurt. where some 15,000 demonstrated at Opel's flagship factory. They were supported by 60,000 workers at Opel factories across Europe.

In addition to the Opel protests, workers were also set to walk out at Saab in Sweden, Vauxhall in the UK and at other factories in Austria, France, Spain and Hungary.

Some of the German protesters carried signs that echoed the words of Barack Obama, but with a twist - "Yes We Can, Without GM."

Part of the problem as the protesters see it is that GM built up overcapacity around the world without regard for losses.

Head of the union IG Metall, Berthold Huber, said that GM has "... built models with the aerodynamics of a barn door and the weight of a small tank." He added that, given high fuel costs and growing unemployment, such cars are "as necessary as freezers at the North Pole."

Berlin is waiting for Opel and GM to present a plan to streamline the company before deciding how to proceed.

Related Der Spiegel article here.