Tens of thousands of jobs will be lost at Volkswagen in the next few years. So far, the company has primarily relied on partial retirement and severance pay. New instruments are now to be negotiated.
Hanover/Wolfsburg. In order to promote the reduction of thousands of jobs, Volkswagen also wants to negotiate the opening of transfer companies in the upcoming collective bargaining round. The company announced after a discussion with employees in Hanover that the discussions must focus on additional socially acceptable personnel instruments. These included transfer companies to which employees could move in order to gain new perspectives on the job market.
The company's goal is to design changes in such a way that employees have options and support for their future path. It was initially unclear how many VW employees could switch to such a transfer company. The step would have to be voluntary.
As VW also announced, the company is sticking to the future collective agreement and the job security it contains until the end of 2030, despite the difficult situation.
According to dpa information from company circles, the car manufacturer can imagine the transfer for both production employees and employees in administration and development. The term and structure of such companies would have to be negotiated with the employees and recorded. This also applies to possible severance payments. Collective bargaining at Volkswagen begins on November 24th.
What is a transfer company?
A transfer company is a transition station for employees whose jobs are lost. Anyone who moves there receives help to find a new job, for example with further training. Participation is usually based on a social plan or a company agreement. The Federal Employment Agency can cover part of the wages through transfer short-time work benefits.
Union considers move to be a breach of word
IG Metall firmly rejects the proposal. This is a breach of contract policy with no viable legal basis. IG Metall district manager Thorsten Gröger said: “Before the contributors step in, the shareholders have a duty.” It should not be the case that the general public pays while the shareholders continue to collect dividends.
The union has so far enforced publicly funded transfer companies primarily in the event of operational changes and factory closures. Instead of pushing employees there, VW must secure the future, for example with new products, new markets and technological leadership. VW works council boss Daniela Cavallo saw the proposal as an attempt to undermine job security until the end of 2030 through the back door.
Another 12,000 jobs will be lost
The board led by VW boss Oliver Blume wants to cut around 50,000 jobs worldwide by 2030 - in addition to previous reduction plans within the group. Two years ago, a reduction of more than 35,000 jobs by 2030 was negotiated for Volkswagen AG, which includes the core brand as well as the components division and corporate offices. The new plans will result in additional cuts of 12,000 jobs, as VW announced for the first time.
The dismantling should be carried out in a socially acceptable manner. In addition to the transfer companies, the maximum use of voluntary exit instruments and a reduction in labor costs are also necessary. So far, the car manufacturer has primarily relied on partial retirement and severance pay.
