- Workers at VW's Baunatal facility express frustration and dismay, as per IG Metall.
The employees at Volkswagen's plant in Baunatal, North Hesse, expressed their anger and disappointment at a meeting, as per IG Metall. The reason behind their frustration is the company's intensified austerity measures, which include potential plant closures during tough times, a notion that they find hard to fathom.
Volkswagen, Europe's largest automaker, announced on Monday that plant closures and layoffs are now part of its cost-saving measures for its core brand, Volkswagen. The Baunatal plant, with around 15,500 employees, is the largest component plant within Volkswagen Group globally and is recognized as the largest employer in North Hesse. A significant portion of electric powertrains is produced at this plant.
The Baunatal plant in Kassel is seen as a highly progressive facility by the works council. The spokesperson for the central works council stated, "We've been pioneering the transformation of our component plant, probably earlier than any other competitor." The plant has been developed as a center of excellence for electric drives since 2016. Recently, Kassel was awarded the contract for the center of excellence for large castings, a crucial requirement for future battery frames. The most prominent product for combustion engines, the dual-clutch transmission, is no longer necessary for electric cars.
This early shift towards electromobility has proven to be fruitful. The spokesperson said, "Because of the powertrain shift, around 70 percent of the original value creation related to the combustion engine powertrain will diminish in the short or long term in our Volkswagen component plants." This underscores the importance of new business fields that complement and could potentially replace the existing ones, depending on the expansion of e-mobility.
Gewerkschafter Dietzel doesn't perceive the Baunatal plant as being on the brink. However, he expresses concern that a lack of investment in the location could pose a significant threat to jobs in the long term. The company management has shown a willingness to engage in dialogue, but their condition is that the board "comes to its senses." Dietzel asserted, "The conflict isn't of our making, but if it's imposed upon us, we'll face it." He also views the austerity measures as a "threat scenario" in anticipation of the upcoming wage round in the metal and electrical industry in the fall.
Hesse's Minister of Economics, Kaweh Mansoori (SPD), was also present at the meeting, according to Dietzel. The minister shared his surprise and referred to his visit to the site a few weeks ago during his summer tour. Topics like potential plant closures and layoffs weren't discussed during that visit. In fact, over 800 temporary workers have been hired at the Baunatal plant recently.
Despite Volkswagen's announcement of plant closures and layoffs as part of its cost-saving measures for its core brand, Volkswagen, the Baunatal plant, recognized as the largest employer in North Hesse, continues to play a significant role in the manufacture of electric powertrains and large castings for future battery frames. The potential impact of these austerity measures on jobs at the plant has raised concerns among the works council and union representatives.
