Labour union IG Metall warns German carmakers ahead of wage talks

IG Metall warned of imaginable escalation against German carmakers arsenic it prepares for wage negotiations aboriginal this year, reported Bloomberg.

The German workers’ national is gearing up for discussions successful the metallic and electrical engineering sector, with pivotal talks expected successful autumn.

The negotiations travel arsenic manufacturers and suppliers grapple with intensifying Chinese competition, the effects of US tariffs and weaker-than-forecast electric-vehicle demand.

Employee representatives inhabit fractional the supervisory committee seats astatine large German companies, giving unions important leverage to signifier oregon halt strategical decisions.

The country’s automotive manufacture has faced a hard year, marked by nett warnings and restructuring aft producers pared backmost EV programmes.

Companies crossed the assemblage person announced plans to chopped adjacent to 100,000 jobs by 2030, with Robert Bosch liable for the largest share.

At the union’s yearly property conference, IG Metall chairwoman Christiane Benner said: “IG Metall, its works councils, and the employees person delivered. We person ideas, we are actively involved! The employees successful our sectors are foregoing billions of euros. In return, we person succeeded successful securing tens of thousands of jobs done negotiations and successful securing concern commitments for German locations. Without us, things would already beryllium precise bleak for German industry!”

Volkswagen said past week that preliminary automotive currency travel for 2025 surpassed expectations, chiefly due to the fact that concern projects were delayed.

Supplier ZF Friedrichshafen besides reported stronger currency travel aft customers withdrew respective EV initiatives.

Workforce reductions already outlined see Audi readying to destruct 7,500 roles by 2029, Continental 10,150 positions, Ford 1,000 jobs astatine its Cologne EV facility.

Other companies are besides readying large occupation cuts: Porsche volition destruct 1,900 positions by 2029; Bosch, 18,500 roles; Schaeffler, 4,700 jobs; Volkswagen, 35,000 positions by 2030; and ZF Friedrichshafen, 14,000 roles this decade.

Pressure from Chinese rivals specified arsenic BYD is rising some successful China and done imports into Europe, portion home conveyance accumulation successful Germany has stagnated for a 3rd consecutive year.

Output successful 2025 was astir 11% beneath 2019 levels.

"Labour national IG Metall warns German carmakers up of wage talks" was primitively created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.

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