Wolfsburg (dpa-AfX)-Less applause for the VW (Volkswagen (VW) VZ) operations council chief Daniela Cavallo, but also no whistles or boos for management: At the first company meeting at VW after the collective agreement from December, the mood was replaced. In contrast to the previous company meetings, when Cavallo had primarily mobilized resistance to the group’s savings plans, both sides tried this time to draw a picture of the future for the brand – and to bury the warrior.
In her speech in front of thousands of employees, Cavallo defended the conclusion achieved shortly before Christmas. In the middle of the crisis in the entire industry, a result was achieved “to envy us a lot of workforce in this country,” she said according to the speech. Volkswagen (Volkswagen (VW) VZ) now has a good starting point for the future.
First design sketch for 20,000 euro electricity
Brand chief Thomas Schäfer spoke of the “largest future plan in the history of Volkswagen”, which was launched with the negotiation result in December. In his speech, he could hardly have heard about the tariff dispute that VW paralyzed for months last year, was heard from participants. In contrast to the previous meetings in September and December, when management criticized the high personnel costs, Schäfer tried to draw a positive image of the future for the brand.
It is now about “catching up, attacking, leading,” said the brand manager. And announced a large offensive with nine new models in Europe – “including affordable e -cars in the entry -level area”. He had a outlook with him: a first design sketch for the planned electric small car for around 20,000 euros, which could then be called ID.1. According to previous information, he is said to start in 2027.
Applause instead of builder
In the end, Schäfer even received polite applause from the employees, reported participants. CEO Oliver Blume was also there, but did not go to the lectern himself. At the previous company meeting in December, Blume had spoken in the middle of the hot warning strike phase – and was temporarily booed by the employees.
This time the mood was significantly less combative, it said. There was no protest. There were also critical questions about the collective bargaining in the pronunciation. In addition, the encouragement to the meeting was significantly lower than last: unlike in September and December, the hall did not have to be closed due to overcrowding.
Calvation with incisions
On December 20, the company and union had agreed on a renovation program after a long struggle and several warning strikes that provides for the reduction of 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030. In return, VW dispenses with work closings and operational terminations.
In order to reduce personnel costs, vacation pay, various bonus payments and allowances are shortened. Wage increases are initially on ice. And from 2027, the structure of the house tariff should be approached to the low industry tariff.
“We as an employee side have delivered and no longer have to listen to ourselves to have to deliver,” said Cavallo. Now the board is on the train. The works council chief had already rejected criticism from the workforce that a harder industrial action would have been more to get out with a harder industrial action. According to Cavallo, this would only have hardened the fronts and probably led to even more dramatic cuts. “The consequence of it would have been a paralyzed group that sinks into endless conflicts.”
Further open construction sites
There are also enough open construction sites after the tariffs. VW had announced in December to reduce 35,000 of the approximately 130,000 jobs in Germany so far, almost every fourth. However, it is open how this should be done without any operational terminations. “The 35,000 jobs that the company wants to dismantle by 2030 will not disappear like magic,” said Cavallo. Only with a little more partial retirement will not succeed.
The discussion about revising the tariff structure has just just started. The analysis runs by the end of 2025, in 2026 IG Metall is to negotiate about changes. For the previous employees, however, there should be extensive acquisition of acquis. “Nobody loses money,” Cavallo promised. “Nobody is taken away by anyone.”
Dresden and Osnabrück remain problem children
Even when it comes to locations, there are still question marks. Cavallo made it clear: “None of our works are closed. Especially Osnabrück and Dresden are not.” But cars should no longer be built in Dresden from 2026. Until then, an alternative concept must be developed. And it is also open in Osnabrück what is to be built there after the end of the T-Roc production that expires in 2027. According to reports, there are considerations to sell the location.
Schäfer formulated a clear goal: “We are the technologically leading volume manufacturer in 2030. Number one in Europe, also in the electrical age.”/FJO/DP/Men
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