Autobauer: Audi will mit Betriebsrat über weitere Einsparungen verhandeln

Audi's parent company, Volkswagen, has dropped its so-called 'bad weather clause' from its recent cost-cutting program and now intends to negotiate further savings with the works council, Audi's top executive Gernot Döllner announced at a meeting in Neckarsulm. The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, and Audi must respond immediately, Döllner stated.

The works council's chairman, Alexander Reinhart, confirmed that they are currently reviewing the conditions for invoking the bad weather clause. If all prerequisites are met, the works council is prepared to engage in further discussions aimed at securing the future of the Neckarsulm site and the Audi brand. This clause, agreed upon in 2019 as part of Audi's Future Pact, mandates that management and the works council engage in negotiations on cost-cutting measures when significant economic conditions deteriorate.

Audi had previously invoked the clause in December 2019, demanding measures such as reducing wage rates, eliminating tariff allowances, limiting result-sharing, and restricting flexible working. The works council had warned of a "list of horrors" during those negotiations. In March 2025, Audi agreed to cut 7,500 jobs in exchange for management's promise of job security until the end of 2033, investments, and production of a new volume-electric vehicle in Neckarsulm.

Volkswagen's CEO, Oliver Blume, met with employees at the factory, where the company announced a cost-cutting plan in early September 2026, giving Neckarsulm until the end of 2027 to present a viable concept to reduce costs or face potential closure. The loss of around 50,000 jobs in the region would be devastating, as more than 15,000 employees and about 1,000 suppliers rely on the factory's production.

Neckarsulm is one of four Volkswagen plants under scrutiny, with the last of the current engine line set to end production in 2034. Audi's CEO emphasized the factory's industrial prowess and rich history but stressed that tradition alone cannot guarantee a future. Works council leader Jens Stammler highlighted Neckarsulm's leadership in artificial intelligence and digitalization, urging the works council to develop these future technologies at the plant to strengthen the entire Volkswagen Group.

The Neckarsulm workforce has demonstrated commitment, flexibility, and loyalty over the years, and any doubts about its prospects could undermine a location that has built Audi AG.