Jobabbau und Werksschließungen: VW-Chef Blume soll Beschäftigten Krisenpläne erklären

A Volkswagen executive, Oliver Blume, addressed an anxious workforce at the company's Zwickau plant, assuring them of the carmaker's commitment to their future. Dozens of employees from suppliers joined the assembly in demonstrating their support for the site. Among the protest signs were "Mama, are you still working in 5 years?" and "United for our future, we fight."

The atmosphere of uncertainty was palpable within the workforce, according to the works council leader, Mario Albert. During the assembly, Albert reminded Blume of the importance of adhering to existing contracts. The CEO's visit came amid plans to tighten the company's current cost-cutting measures and potentially eliminate more jobs across Germany, exceeding the initially planned 50,000 positions.

Potential plant closures were under discussion at Zwickau, Emden, and Hannover, as well as the Audi factory in Neckarsulm. Blume noted that none of the four plants currently have "competitive staffing" for the 2030s, and his goal is to provide reliable perspectives for all locations within 6 to 12 months. Works council leader Mario Albert emphasized that Zwickau was the only German plant to meet its 2025 factory cost targets and would likely maintain this achievement in 2026.

The Zwickau factory has been a pioneer in electric mobility for Volkswagen since 2020, producing only electric vehicles. However, with competitors entering the same market, Zwickau's utilization has declined, accompanied by a reduction in staff. Currently, the plant operates only two shifts instead of the previous three, with one of the two production lines set to be completely shut down next year.

In 2020, Zwickau employed around 11,000 workers. Today, the workforce stands at approximately 8,000. The plant shares two other Volkswagen sites in Saxony: the engine factory in Chemnitz and the Glass Factory in Dresden, which no longer produces vehicles. Many additional jobs are tied to suppliers, as noted by Marcel Kuczyk, Vise-Betriebsratsvorsitzender of Schnellecke Logistics in Glauchau, who joined the protest along with several colleagues.