Nearly 100,000 Volkswagen workers in Germany walked out on Monday as part of the country’s largest industrial strike in months. The IG Metall union claimed that the strikes took place over management plans to cut wages and close sites at Europe’s biggest carmaker.
According to the union, a total of 98,650 employees at nine plants across Germany participated in the walkouts, which were marked by two-hour shifts on morning and early evening periods. The strike was part of a wider “winter of protest” against the company’s plans, said IG Metall’s chief negotiator Thorsten Groeger.
The union had previously proposed measures to save 1.5 billion euros, including forgoing bonuses in 2025 and 2026, but management has dismissed these as unrealistic. The strikes come at a time when European carmakers are struggling with weak demand, high production costs, and increased competition from Chinese rivals.
As the dispute continues, the IG Metall union is warning that further industrial action may be necessary if Volkswagen fails to reconsider its plans.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/union-says-nearly-100000-workers-joined-volkswagen-strikes-across-germany-2024-12-03