Referreport
The dispute over possible layoffs, plant closures and wage cuts overshadowed the second round of collective bargaining at VW. VW has now given details of its savings plans for the first time.
Volkswagen gave concrete details about its savings plans for the first time at the second round of collective bargaining in Wolfsburg. In it, VW negotiator and brand HR director Arne Meiswinkel confirmed, among other things, the demand to reduce collective wages by ten percent, as both sides announced after a good six hours of negotiations in Wolfsburg. Meiswinkel did not provide any further information on possible plant closures and workforce reductions.
In the negotiating room, VW mentioned numerous other points, including reducing the number of training positions, said IG Metall negotiator Thorsten Gröger. “The list of poisons that Volkswagen presented to us is relatively long,” says Gröger. “What Volkswagen is presenting here would of course be a bold grab into the employees’ wallets and not a viable option. These are not lines we can follow.”
At the same time, he welcomed the fact that VW was now willing to negotiate a future for all locations without factory closures and mass layoffs. “This fundamental, albeit weak, signal was the minimum condition that the company had to fulfill in order for IG Metall to remain at the negotiating table. Otherwise we would have broken off the talks!”
Volkswagen is “open to any meaningful discussion to achieve the financial goal,” said Meiswinkel. And added: “Only if we find solutions together to achieve our financial goals can we imagine concrete prospects for the German locations and possible job security.” Details will now initially be discussed in three commissions. VW and the union want to meet for the next round of collective bargaining on November 21st.
Works council boss Daniela Cavallo dampened hopes of a quick agreement at the negotiating table. Plant closures and mass layoffs are still not off the table. “Accordingly, I would also warn against interpreting this as a first approximation,” she said. “Today is at best the starting signal for a marathon in which both sides have finally understood that they have to reach the finish line together.” But, Cavallo continued: “Now at least something is on the negotiating table – even if it is miles away from what we had in mind.”
Cavallo reported on Monday about VW’s plans to close at least three plants in Germany and cut tens of thousands of jobs. The group itself has not yet confirmed the information. The VW company tariff applies to around 120,000 employees at the six large West German VW locations.
Source: German