Volkswagen labour representatives vote for limited strikes from early December

VOLKSWAGEN labour representatives have voted for limited strikes from early December, according to a statement from regional IG Metall trade union on Friday (Nov 22).

Immediately after a third collective bargaining session at the Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg, the IG Metall wage commission unanimously voted in favour of warning strikes from the beginning of December, said the statement.

As a result, industrial action will follow, which will put the company under massive pressure, it added.

Volkswagen has demanded a 10 per cent wage cut, arguing it urgently needs to cut costs and boost profits to stay competitive and defend market share in the face of rivalry from Chinese companies and a drop in car demand across Europe.

Unions on Wednesday proposed forgoing bonuses for two years and creating a fund to finance a temporary reduction in working hours in less productive areas of the business. They said these measures would avoid redundancies and generate 1.5 billion euros (S$2.12 billion) in cost savings.

This will be the first large-scale strikes at VW AG since 2018 when over 50,000 workers took to the streets over pay. REUTERS