Works meeting
VW leadership and works council face the workforce
After a long struggle, VW and IG Metall agreed on a tariff compromise. Now both sides have to defend the end of the workforce. Not everyone is thrilled.
The Management and the Volkswagen works council must defend the agreed savings program at the first company meeting after their tariff cleaning in December.
In addition to works council chief Daniela Cavallo, brand boss Thomas Schäfer will also speak. At the two previous staff meetings, there had been violent protest against the group’s savings plans, now the hard renovation plan, on which both sides agreed shortly before Christmas, must be taught.
“In addition to many point gains for the employee side, the tariff compromise also includes incisions that are painful,” admitted Cavallo before the meeting. “Being satisfied with the result does not mean that jubilee storms would be appropriate.”
On December 20, the company and union had agreed on a renovation program after a long struggle and several warning strikes that provides for the reduction of 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030. In return, VW dispenses with work closings and operational terminations. IG Metall and works council had previously declared both “red lines”. And the employment security terminated by VW was also put into force again and even extended until 2030.
However, according to workers’ circles, it may not be possible in Wolfsburg to do without every employee why he should do without money in order to save other locations. Because there are noticeable cuts for the employees: to reduce personnel costs, vacation pay, various bonus payments and allowances are shortened or completely deleted. Wage increases are initially on ice. And the tariff structure of the house tariff is to be adapted from 2027 and approximated to the low industry tariff.
In contrast to the previous company meetings, when Cavallo had primarily mobilized resistance to the savings plans, this time she should not only get applause. “Yes, the trees will no longer grow into the sky as quickly as before,” she admitted. At the same time, it countered fears, the new tariff structure means the end of the previous house tariff. “The opposite is the case,” she said. “We have secured our house tariff in the long term.”
This time only flower as a guest
CEO Oliver Blume will not speak to the workforce at the meeting this time. Although he is expected as a participant, he should not step on the lectern himself. At the previous company meeting in December, Blume had spoken in the middle of the hot warning strike phase – and had been temporarily deployed by the employees.
The works council again expects the approximately 60,000 employees in the main plant. As a precaution, the assembly should be transferred to the factory premises again via video screen if the places in Hall 11 are not sufficient.
dpa
Source: Stern
