Unions VW brand boss announces stress test for all plants
Following the wage agreement at Volkswagen, the head of the brand, Thomas Schäfer, has announced a stress test for every plant as well as a new model offensive. There will only be new investments at individual sites if the agreed targets are achieved.
22.12.2024, 02:19
SDA
"With the agreement, we have agreed clear targets and measures for each location with which we want to achieve competitiveness," Schäfer told Bild am Sonntag. Future investment decisions would depend on this.
VW also wants to launch nine new models on the market by 2027, Schäfer added. "We also want to be number one in Europe in the electric age - with at least three VWs in the EU's top ten ranking."
After days of tough collective bargaining, Volkswagen and IG Metall agreed on a multi-billion euro savings package on Friday. A job guarantee until 2030 was agreed, and immediate plant closures are also off the table. In return, the employees will forego immediate wage increases. By 2030, more than 35,000 of the current 130,000 jobs are to be eliminated in a "socially responsible" manner without layoffs.
According to BamS information, VW Group CEO Oliver Blume made a self-critical statement on the drastic savings program on the intranet for employees: "These were certainly the toughest negotiations I have experienced in my professional career to date. And I am aware that we have put our colleagues through a lot during the negotiations," said Blume. There was a great deal of uncertainty as to how things would continue at the sites and for the employees. "That also had an emotional impact on me."
