Europe. Volkswagen faces escalating strikes as labour talks falter
On Monday, December 9th, Volkswagen employees left their workplaces again during a strike against the company's controversial plans. Simultaneous talks did not yield a breakthrough, and labour unions are threatening a serious escalation.
German Volkswagen employees affiliated with the IG Metall union do not intend to agree to Volkswagen's plans regarding wage cuts and the potential closure of several factories. The conflict is intensifying with each passing week.
In early December, nearly 10,000 workers at nine plants participated in a two-hour warning strike. On Monday, December 9th, another round of protests lasted four hours. However, IG Metall representatives are threatening longer stoppages.
"Today, the workforce is taking a stand in the form of a nationwide warning strike. Everywhere, at all locations, in all shifts, Volkswagen employees are stopping work, not for two hours as they did last time, but for four hours," said IG Metall's chief negotiator, Thorsten Groeger.
"And if that isn't enough, the New Year's Eve fireworks will be followed by an escalation that this company has never experienced before," he added. The unions are not ruling out 24-hour strikes, and if necessary, even indefinite ones.
Employees hope that this will break the deadlock and force Volkswagen authorities to abandon plans for 10% wage cuts and the closure of the least profitable factories.
