BMW Workers Take Time Off For Soccer

BMW factories across Germany will stop Wednesday so workers can watch the country's soccer team in its European Championship semi-final game against Turkey.

Workers at BMW's plants in Leipzig, Munich, Regensburg and Dingolfing will all finish their shifts a few hours earlier so that they can get home to watch the game.

Late shifts at the plants normally end between 10 pm and midnight, but the game kicks off at 8:45 pm Central European Time. So the late shift will end at 7:00 pm Wednesday.

Michael Rebstock, a Munich-based spokesman for the automaker, said that the company wanted to find a solution so that "every employee can get home to catch the game on television."

Rebstock said that 1,700 Turkish nationals work at BMW's Munich plant, where the 3 series is built.

"Both German and Turkish workers will be so excited about the game it makes sense to stop production," Rebstock said.