Volkswagen workers in Germany will strike to protest plans by the company to cut pay and thousands of jobs.
The carmaker announced today that it would close three of its domestic factories for the first ever time.
Six plants will host protests, rallies, and demonstrations. These include the main Wolfsburg plant, as well at Kassel, Emden, Braunschweig, and Salzgitter. Three VW subsidiaries are also planning to participate in the action.
VW has over 120,000 employees in Germany. Around half are based in Wolfsburg to the east of Hannover. The company has refused to offer any wage increases for its employees and instead proposed a 10% salary cut due to the current economic challenges.
The decision of the company has caused a conflict with the union IG Metall, and the works council. They claim that the automaker has made the situation worse.
IG Metall, in announcing the industrial action, stated that “the fun is over: because the board continues to insist on its maximum position and refuses to accept reason and demonstrate responsibility in the company wages negotiations, IG Metall now changes its tune.” Warning strikes are common. They’re the first pinpricks of sensitivity against the employer and a taster of what will come if they continue as before.
VW Group, including Porsche and Audi is the largest employer in Germany with almost 300,000 employees across the country.
The next round is scheduled to begin on 9 December.
Volkswagen’s spokeswoman stated: “Volkswagen honors the rights of employees to take part in a warning-strike. The company is still relying on a constructive dialogue and co-determination to reach a solution that can be sustained by all.
“We want the impact of a warning strike to be as minimal as possible on our customers, partners and industrial plants. The company has taken specific measures to ensure emergency operations.
The company will keep you informed of any further developments. We are also using our internal channels of communication to transparently inform all employees about the current situation.
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