VW unions call for solution without plant closures or redundancies, threaten escalation if no solution found

Record ID: 1889685

  • Title: VW unions call for solution without plant closures or redundancies, threaten escalation if no solution found
  • Date: 16th December 2024
  • Summary: HANOVER, GERMANY (DECEMBER 16, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTEST BANNER PERSON WEARING STRIKE VEST VARIOUS OF VW WORKERS WHISTLING AND PROTESTING VOLKSWAGEN'S WORKS COUNCIL CHIEF DANIELA CAVALLO ARRIVING AT SMALL PROTEST BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNION IG-METALL NEGOTIATOR THORSTEN GROEGER, SAYING: "Dear colleagues, these are very, very difficult conditions. But unfortu
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2024 11:37
  • Keywords: Germany VW Volkswagen industry strikes trade unions
  • Location: HANOVER, GERMANY
  • City: HANOVER, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Company News Markets,Europe,Economic Events
  • Reuters ID: LVA001741616122024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Volkswagen's works council chief said negotiations with management over cost cuts must find a solution which excludes plant closures or redundancies, as a last-ditch round of talks before Christmas gets underway on Monday (December 16).
    A compromise must be struck which is good for both the workers and the company, the union said as the fifth round of talks was due to begin.
    Unions have threatened strike action at an unprecedented scale from 2025 if an agreement is not reached this year.
    "If we don't reach an outcome within our red lines, I'm certain that workers will respond to the union's calls for escalation," Cavallo then told reporters.
    Both sides are prepared for the talks to last several days, unless it becomes apparent on Monday that they are too far apart to come to an agreement this year, in which case negotiations will be paused until 2025.
    More than 100,000 staff at nine plants across the country laid down tools last week in the largest strikes ever seen at the carmaker, protesting against management's stance that wages must be cut and capacity downsized for the VW brand to stay competitive.
    (Production: Max Schawrz, Claudia Doerries, Tanya Wood)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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