- Vehicle Manufacturer's Workers' Council: We'll Champion Every Position at Work
In the bargain over savings strategies at Volkswagen, the labor council at the facility in the Eastern Frisian town of Emden is also advocating for prompt negotiations between management and the staff side. The revocation of the job security assurance that had been in place since 1994 yesterday shattered trust, stated Herbert de Vries, deputy chair of the Emden labor council. "We gotta gather 'round the table." Prior to that, approximately 40 delegates from the labor council and the IG Metall labor union had deliberated the current status during a visit by Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD). Weil too advocated for prompt negotiations afterwards.
"We had a big ol' meeting, an open chat," said de Vries afterwards. The workforce is leaning on the backing of the Prime Minister, who is also a member of the VW Supervisory Board. It's now crucial to soothe the situation and reassure the workforce. "The workforce ain't done nothing wrong. In my view, the board's made some bone-headed decisions and a few subpar calls," said de Vries. "We'll surely go to bat for every job," he added. This holds true regardless of whether these jobs are in Emden or elsewhere.
Volkswagen's main employer in Eastern Frisia
Approximately 8,000 people are employed at the facility in Eastern Frisia. The Emden plant, where the company has been crafting cars for 60 years, is a significant site for the company's electrical automobile expansion. In recent years, Volkswagen has transformed the factory into a pure electric vehicle production hub – the first such facility in Lower Saxony. The company has shelled out over a billion euros in Emden since 2020 to establish new production capabilities. However, the termination of the electric vehicle subsidy in Germany at the end of 2023 has also triggered a decrease in demand. Consequently, the Emden car factory has been functioning below full capacity of late.**
"If electrical mobility picks up, we got the right models, then we gotta be able to match market demand," said de Vries. "Shutting down the plant wouldn't aid us in that."
Volkswagen recently disclosed that it would need to drastically slash costs at its core brand. The proposed job cuts through early retirement and separation packages are no longer adequate. Plant closures and layoffs due to operational reasons at the core brand VW are no longer off the table, Europe's largest car manufacturer declared.
Following the meeting with Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil, Herbert de Vries stated, "We had a big ol' meeting, an open chat." He then added, "The following is added: We'll surely go to bat for every job, regardless of whether these jobs are in Emden or elsewhere."
