Zaragoza, Spain  - Spanish employees of the Opel car-maker expressed surprise overnight at General Motors' decision not to sell European division Opel, saying they were "exhausted" by "so much uncertainty."

The employees at the Spanish Opel plant in Figueruelas "deplored" the sudden change of situation after weeks of "tough" negotiations with the Canadian auto parts group Magna, employees' representative Pedro Bona said late Tuesday.

Magna had been preparing to take a majority stake in Opel.

Spanish Opel employees and Magna had reached a deal to cut 900 of the total 7,500 jobs at the northern Spanish plant, instead of 1,300 initially planned lay-offs.

The employees at Figueruelas could now only wait for General Motors to table its plans, Bona said. (dpa)