Peugeot : German union seeks to preserve Opel independence as Peugeot pursues FCA

BERLIN (Reuters) - IG Metall, Germany's largest union by members, said on Thursday it would seek to preserve the autonomy of PSA's German unit Opel after PSA and Fiat Chrysler announced plans to create the world's fourth-largest automaker.

IG Metall official Joerg Koehlinger in an emailed statement pointed to an agreement that bars forced layoffs at Opel until mid-2023. "This gives Opel employees security and protection," he said.

(Reporting by Thomas Seythal; editing by Edward Taylor)