German car giant Volkswagen is preparing for widespread strikes on Monday, while the IG Metall union is launching a major protest against proposed pay cuts and possible layoffs and factory closures.
IG Metall has called for strikes at all Volkswagen factories in Germany, increasing opposition to the company’s demands for across-the-board wage cuts.
Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, has also threatened factory closures and mass layoffs as part of a major cost-cutting program to boost worsening financial results.
A mandatory labor truce at VW, which banned strikes, expired this weekend, paving the way for industrial action.
VW is insisting that workers accept a 10% pay cut, while factory closures and layoffs remain on the table.
IG Metall demands the retention of all business locations and job security for its approximately 120,000 employees. The union firmly rejects the proposed pay cuts.
Volkswagen has never closed a factory in Germany, and it has been decades since the automaker has closed a production facility anywhere in the world.
