Autoindustrie: VW-Chef kommt nach Sachsen - Belegschaft erhofft Perspektive

Volkswagen's CEO, Oliver Blume, will visit the E-auto factory in Zwickau for the first time this week, amidst a tense market situation where further job cuts for the workforce are on the table. Mike Rösler, the president of the Volkswagen Works Council for Saxony, expressed hope that the company would address the uncertainty with clear communication.

The workers at the Zwickau factory, which has been building only electric vehicles since 2020, have lost about 1,000 jobs over the past years, with another 1,000 expected to disappear in the coming years. Blume has repeatedly stated that closing plants is not the only solution, but it remains a possibility. The factory is considered a pioneer in electric mobility at Volkswagen.

However, it has been significantly downsized. One of the two production lines is planned to be closed by 2027, while around 100 people will work at the dismantling facility by the end of the year, potentially increasing to 1,000. The goal is to produce up to 15,000 vehicles per year starting from 2030. The Works Council points to cost-cutting measures in all areas, including energy and procurement expenses.

The 35-hour workweek, which Rösler believes is outdated, is also under discussion, as it may lead to increased unemployment if implemented. Blume hopes that introducing new models, as Volkswagen does in China, could help. The Zwickau plant, along with the Glassworks Factory and the Motorworks in Chemnitz, forms Volkswagen Sachsen.

Chemnitz currently manufactures combustion engines, which is fully occupied, but the situation may change in the future.