Volkswagen workers threaten strikes unless carmaker reverses labour deal cancellations

Volkswagen Workers Threaten Strikes Unless Cancelled Labour Deals Are Reversed

Escalating Labour Disputes at Volkswagen

Labour Leaders Issue Strike Threats

FRANKFURT, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Labour leaders on Friday threatened strikes at Volkswagen from January unless it reverses the recent cancellation of wage deals by the end of October, marking an escalation of labour disputes at Europe's top automaker.

Union Demands and Deadlines

"We are giving the company until the end of October to withdraw this notice of termination," Thorsten Groeger of trade union IG Metall told a press conference.

"Otherwise a massive process will be set in motion which, let me make this clear, will pave the way for industrial action at Volkswagen," he added.

Potential for Industrial Action

 In trade union parlance, that typically includes strikes. A truce that rules out strikes at the company expires on January 1, 2027.

Background: Volkswagen's Cost-Cutting Measures

Job Cuts and Plant Closures

Europe's top carmaker plans to cut 100,000 jobs and could close up to four plants in Germany, as it faces intensifying Chinese competition, billions in tariff costs and a costly shift to EVs.

Termination of Wage Deals

The dispute with shop stewards over planned cutbacks came to a head last month, when Volkswagen terminated almost all wage deals with German workers, putting long-standing labour standards including working hours and holiday pay up for renegotiation.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Christoph Steitz Editing by Ludwig Burger and Linda Pasquini)