MOSCOW (Sputnik) – More than 6,000 employees of the Volkswagen auto concern staged a demonstration in the city of Wolfsburg on Thursday against layoffs and plans to close some production sites, the largest German trade union, IG Metall, said.
The union noted that larger protests could begin in December.
During the negotiations, the union proposed a plan for saving 1.5 billion euros ($1.57 billion), which does not imply plant closures, mass layoffs or salary cuts, the statement read.
In late October, Volkswagen works council head Daniela Cavallo announced plans to close three German plants to cut costs, potentially impacting tens of thousands of jobs. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume linked the cost-saving measures to increased competition in Europe and Germany’s waning competitiveness, with layoffs potentially beginning in July 2025, according to media reports.
