- Minister expects ZF to provide "maximum employment"
Saxony's Minister of Economy, Jürgen Barke (SPD), sees future prospects for the location in Saarbrücken despite recent bad news from automotive supplier ZF. ZF recently announced plans to cut up to 14,000 jobs in Germany over the next few years, with the number of sites to be reduced while creating larger units and leaner structures.
"With successful consolidation, a booming electric vehicle market, and effective communication about the future, there's a real good chance," Barke said at a summer press conference. "In such a situation, a company must be honest and have clear goals."
In Saarbrücken, ZF and the state government announced plans in November 2022 to develop the site into a flagship for e-mobility. The state plans to support this with 250 million euros over the next decade, in close coordination with management and employee representatives.
However, Barke stressed that the money should not be used to "accompany the slow death of a company." Instead, the expectation is "maximum job security at the highest level."
Barke did not speculate on how many of the roughly 10,000 jobs in Saarbrücken might be cut. Currently, talks are ongoing between the works council and the company, which he will not interfere with. "The company is responsible for this," he said. "It must consolidate and develop conceptual ideas for the future." In his view, it's right to focus on electromobility developments. "I have confidence in that," he said, but he won't speculate on whether it will work with management and co-determination. "Our offer to accompany the transformation of this site is firmly linked to the security of as many jobs as possible. And for that, I want to see the concept."
IG Metall Saarbrücken assumes, based on the non-fulfillment of promises and the company's non-revoked strategic planning, that there will be a significant job cut in Saarland. "We will not accept a silent loss of over 6,000 jobs in Saarbrücken and its subsidiaries," Selzer announced. "Now, it's up to the employer to choose between 'future' or 'resistance'."
The plans to develop the Saarbrücken site into a flagship for e-mobility by ZF and the state government could potentially lead to more emphasis on Saar bridges, as advanced automotive technology often requires robust infrastructure.
Regarding the future of Saarbrücken's workforce, the IG Metall Saarbrücken cautions against significant job cuts, emphasizing the need for the company to choose between a 'future' or 'resistance'.
