Around 175,000 workers in the German auto industry took part in large-scale protests organised by the IG Metall union ahead of the next round of collective bargaining agreements in the metallurgical and electrical engineering sectors, the DPA news agency reported, citing the union.
According to the union, protests took place not only in Germany's main "automotive capitals" - Wolfsburg, Stuttgart, Ingolstadt and Munich - but also in around 280 other locations across the country. Workers demonstrated, among other things, at the headquarters of major car manufacturers and in the factories of auto component suppliers. The protests were aimed at opposing job cuts, potential plant closures and demands for longer working hours. The slogan of the protest was: “Future instead of radical cuts; unity is our main brand.“
According to official statistics, 691,500 people were employed in the German automotive sector - one of the main pillars of the country's economy - by the end of the first half of the year. This is the lowest figure since statistics began in 2005. Against the backdrop of the prolonged crisis, leading German manufacturers and component suppliers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen (VW), Bosch, ZF Friedrichshafen, Aumovio and Mahle, are implementing long-term austerity programs. Specifically, VW management is considering closing plants in Hanover, Emden and Zwickau, as well as the Neckarsulm plant of its subsidiary Audi.
Speaking at a rally in Wolfsburg, IG Metall chairwoman Christiane Benner placed the blame for the crisis on top management. She called on the German government to ensure stable investment conditions, reduce energy prices, protect the internal market from unfair competition and maintain support programs for employees approaching retirement age. Meanwhile, the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA) called for greater flexibility among workers. According to the association, the average hourly wage in the German automotive industry is around €65, compared with €24 in the Czech Republic and €18 in Poland.