The board of the German car manufacturer Audi is in discussions with the works council about the company’s problems.
“In difficult economic times, the works council and the company discuss how to prevent layoffs,” says Jörg Schlagbauer, head of the central works council.
According to a report from Manager Magazin, Audi is looking to cut several thousand jobs in Germany in the medium term, with around 4,500 jobs at risk, 2,000 of which are in development alone.
Schlagbauer said: “We are in discussions with the company about the substantive objectives to make Audi weatherproof, but not yet in negotiations. We aim for clear structures, faster decision-making, improved processes and more value creation at Audi.”
Audi employs approximately 54,000 people in Germany. In 2019, management and the works council agreed on a “socially responsible reduction of up to 9,500 jobs along the demographic curve by 2025.” According to Audi, the program is largely complete.
An Audi spokeswoman emphasized that the company’s employment guarantee will remain in force until 2029, as confirmed by Chief Financial Officer Jürgen Rittersberger on Tuesday.
However, new hires should be ‘hand-picked’ with a focus on increasing efficiency and competitiveness.
