{
  "id": 16208560,
  "title": "Job cuts: VW also wants to negotiate about a transfer company",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/stellenabbau-vw-will-auch-uber-transfergesellschaft-verhandeln",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-23T16:06:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/stellenabbau-vw-will-auch-ueber-transfergesellschaft-verhandeln/100264484.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Volkswagen intends to negotiate about opening transfer companies during the upcoming wage talks to accelerate the reduction of thousands of jobs. The company's focus should be on providing additional socially acceptable employment instruments, including transfer companies where employees can switch positions to explore new prospects in the job market. The goal is to make changes that offer employees choices and support for their future. It remains unclear how many employees would switch to such transfer companies, but the move would have to be voluntary. Volkswagen remains committed to the Future Wage Agreement and the employment security it provides until the end of 2030, despite the challenging situation. The company could see transfers for both production workers and those in administration and development. The duration and structure of such companies would need to be negotiated and agreed upon with the employees. Transfer company agreements would also cover possible severance payments. The wage negotiations at Volkswagen begin on November 24th. A transfer company serves as a transitional station for employees whose positions are eliminated, offering assistance to find new jobs, such as further education. Participation is usually based on a social plan or an enterprise agreement. The Federal Agency for Labor can partially cover wages through the Transfer Kurzarbeitergeld. The trade union IG Metall firmly rejects the proposal, calling it a breach of tariff policy without a viable legal basis. IG Metall regional leader Thorsten Gröger stated, \"Before the contributors step in, the shareholders are duty-bound.\" It should not be the case that the general public pays while shareholders continue to receive dividends. The union has previously used transfer companies mainly for business changes and plant closures instead of pushing employees towards new opportunities. Volkswagen's business council chief Daniela Cavallo sees the proposal as a way to undermine employment security by the back door, aiming for 12,000 more job cuts by 2030. The boss team, led by Oliver Blume, plans to cut around 50,000 jobs globally by 2030, in addition to previous reductions in the group. In addition to transfer companies, maximizing voluntary resignations and reducing labor costs are also necessary. Besides transfer companies, Volkswagen primarily relies on part-time retirement and severance payments.",
  "summary": "At Volkswagen, tens of thousands of jobs will be cut in the coming years. So far, the company has mainly relied on partial retirement and severance payments. Now, negotiations on new instruments are to take place.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}