- Supporting the Volkswagen Employees by The Socialist Faction
Following Volkswagen's announcement of potential plant shutdowns, the SPD group in the Hessian state legislature has shown support for the employees. "The SPD group in the Hessian state legislature and I personally support the Volkswagen workers in Baunatal and at other company plants," stated Tobias Eckert, chairman of the SPD group in the Hessian state legislature.
Hessian Economic Minister Kaweh Mansoori (SPD) is currently maintaining close communication with the VW works council and is prepared to take any necessary political steps to ensure that the Baunatal plant and its employees have a positive outlook, according to Eckert.
Largest VW components plant in the world, located in Baunatal
Baunatal houses around 15,500 employees, making it the world's largest components plant for the Volkswagen Group and the largest employer in North Hesse. A significant portion of electric powertrains is produced in Baunatal. Eckert mentioned that Volkswagen has been investing billions into the location for some time to make it the principal supplier for the group's electric vehicles. These investments would be essentially wasted if the company were to cut costs excessively in Baunatal at this point, according to the SPD politician.
While transitioning to electric mobility poses significant challenges for the industry, simplistic cost-cutting measures would not adequately address these complex challenges, Eckert argued.
On Monday, Europe's largest automaker announced that potential plant closures and redundancies at its core brand, VW, could no longer be disregarded as part of its savings program.
The SPD group in the Hessian state legislature, being advocates for Volkswagen's employees, has expressed its support towards maintaining the operations of the Car group's largest components plant in Baunatal. Recognizing the vital role of Baunatal as a significant employer and the principal supplier for the group's electric vehicles, Hessian Economic Minister Kaweh Mansoori (SPD) is actively engaging with the VW works council to protect the plant and its workforce.
