VW ends ten labor accords Job guarantee stays in place

Sep 30

Tagesschau reports Volkswagen's termination of most collective agreements effective at year-end, including the framework agreement for more than 100,000 staff. Arne Meiswinkel says this opens negotiating room and explicitly excludes the future agreement; the report says its employment guarantee through the end of 2030 remains intact. IG Metall says ten of thirteen agreements are terminated, putting vacation provisions, notice periods and the 35-hour week into negotiation. Gröger calls the action a foul and an attempt to take employees' money; Daniela Cavallo says hard-won rights are being challenged and predicts workforce anger. Bargaining is expected in winter and the no-strike obligation ends January 1, when indefinite strikes become possible. No strike or completed replacement agreement is announced.

Tagesthemen reports Volkswagen terminating collective agreements at year's end, including the framework agreement for more than 100,000 employees, amid savings demands. Arne Meiswinkel says this opens negotiating room and explicitly exempts the future agreement: the employment guarantee through 2030 remains. IG Metall says ten of thirteen agreements are terminated, putting vacation rules, notice periods and the 35-hour week into negotiations. Daniela Cavallo criticizes pressure to question hard-won gains and expects employee anger. Talks are expected in winter; the no-strike period ends January 1, after which indefinite strikes would be possible. Strikes have not begun and protections have not all already disappeared. Tagesschau's September 30 account also reports the ten-of-thirteen terminations and intact 2030 employment guarantee. Its introduction quotes IG Metall negotiator Gröger calling the step a nasty foul and an attempt to reach into employees' pockets, with Cavallo expecting confrontations around the turn of the year. The fuller package keeps the management explanation, winter bargaining and prospective end of the no-strike period. In AUF1's October 7 interview, Zentrum chairman Oliver Hilburger says termination creates negotiating room without immediate wage/hour changes. He attributes a September 30 review meeting to IG Metall invoking the December 2024 pact's clause and claims further 50,000 job cuts, half in Germany, are sought. These are his mechanism and numbers; they do not erase the earlier direct management assurance that the 2030 employment guarantee remains.