Volkswagen plants brought to halt as workers strike amid labor dispute

Dec 3

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Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

Workers at nine Volkswagen factories across Germany brought assembly lines to a halt on Monday, Dec. 2, as they launched rolling two-hour strikes. The autoworkers are protesting pay cuts and proposed factory closures the automaker claims are necessary to make up for slumping sales in Europe.

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Volkswagen reportedly wants 120,000 German workers to take a 10% pay cut and is proposing the closure of three plants, according to an employee representative who was interviewed by The Washington Post. The closures would be the company’s first in its nearly 90-year history.

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Volkswagen argues the changes are necessary as it struggles with low demand, high production costs, Chinese competition and a sluggish transfer to electric vehicles. The walkouts took place prior to talks over a new labor agreement after a mandate period barring strikes expired on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Workers’ representatives warn the Volkswagen strikes could escalate to 24-hours or longer if a deal is not struck during the next round of labor negotiations set for Monday, Dec. 9.

The autoworkers union for Volkswagen employees reportedly presented measures it said would save the company $1.6 billion, which would include a bonus freeze for 2025 and 2026. However, Volkswagen management dismissed the idea as unrealistic.

A union representative in Hanover, Germany, criticized Volkswagen for making workers’ pay for what he considered mistakes by those at the top of the company’s management, including the “diesel emissions scandal,” in which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found from 2009 through 2015 the company intentionally covered up its emission output in its diesel vehicles to meet U.S. vehicle standards.

The union representative also blamed company leadership for falling behind on innovation to Chinese companies.

Tags: Auto industry, cars, China, China, Diesel, Economy, Electric vehicles, Europe, EV, Germany, Labor, One-China, People’s Republic of China, Strike, Volkswagen, Workers Rights

[JACK AYLMER]

WORKERS AT NINE VOLKSWAGEN FACTORIES ACROSS GERMANY BROUGHT ASSEMBLY LINES TO A HALT MONDAY LAUNCHING ROLLING TWO-HOUR STRIKES.

THE AUTOWORKERS PROTESTING PAY CUTS AND FACTORY CLOSURES THE AUTOMAKER CLAIMS ARE NEEDED TO MAKEUP FOR SLUMPING SALES IN EUROPE.

VOLKSWAGEN WANTS 120-THOUSAND GERMAN WORKERS TO TAKE A 10 PERCENT PAY CUT AND IS REPORTEDLY PROPOSING THE CLOSURE OF THREE PLANTS, AN EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD THE WASHINGTON POST.

THE CLOSURES WOULD BE THE COMPANY’S FIRST IN ITS 87 YEAR HISTORY.

VOLKSWAGEN ARGUES ITS NECESSARY AS IT STRUGGLES WITH LOW DEMAND, HIGH PRODUCTION COSTS, CHINESE COMPETITION AND A SLUGGISH TRANSFER TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THE WALKOUTS TAKING PLACE PRIOR TO TALKS OVER A NEW LABOR AGREEMENT AFTER A MANDATED PERIOD BARRING STRIKES EXPIRED OVER THE WEEKEND.

WORKERS REPRESENTATIVES WARN THE V-W STRIKES COULD ESCALATE TO 24-HOURS OR LONGER IF A DEAL IS NOT STRUCK DURING NEXT ROUND OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS SET FOR DECEMBER 9TH.

THE AUTOWORKERS UNION LAST WEEK PRESENTED MEASURES IT SAID WOULD SAVE V-W ONE-POINT-SIX-BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDE A BONUS FREEZE FOR NEXT YEAR AND 2026.

V-W- MANAGEMENT DISMISSED THE IDEA AS UNREALISTIC.

A UNION REPRESENTATIVE IN HANOVER MONDAY CRITICIZED V-W FOR MAKING WORKERS PAY FOR WHAT HE CONSIDERS MISTAKES BY THOSE AT THE TOP, INCLUDING THE DIESEL EMISSIONS SCANDAL, IN WHICH THE E-P-A FOUND FROM 2009 TO 2015 V-W INTENTIONALLY COVERED UP ITS EMISSIONS OUTPUT TO MEET U-S VEHICLE STANDARDS, AND FALLING BEHIND ON INNOVATION.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.