Volkswagen strike deepens as union threatens escalations
On Monday, 9th December, Volkswagen employees departed from their workplaces again as part of a strike against the company's controversial plans. Concurrently, discussions were held but failed to achieve a breakthrough. Trade unions are warning of a serious escalation.
German Volkswagen workers, affiliated with the IG Metall union, are unwilling to accept Volkswagen's proposals related to pay cuts and the potential closure of several factories. The conflict intensifies with each passing week.
At the beginning of December, nearly 10,000 employees at 9 plants participated in a two-hour warning strike. On Monday, 9th December, another protest took place, this time lasting four hours. IG Metall representatives, however, are threatening longer stoppages.
"Today, the workforce is taking a stand in the form of a nationwide warning strike. Everywhere, at all locations, in all shifts, Volkswagen employees are stopping work, not for two hours as they did last time, but for four hours," said IG Metall's chief negotiator, Thorsten Groeger.
"And if that isn't enough, the New Year's Eve fireworks will be followed by an escalation that this company has never experienced before," he added. The unions are considering 24-hour strikes and, if necessary, even indefinite ones.
The workers hope that doing so will break the deadlock and force Volkswagen's management to abandon plans for a 10% pay cut and the closure of the least profitable factories.
