The regional government of Lower Saxony has issued a warning to the VW group, stating that it will not accept the bypassing of state involvement. Economic Minister Grant Hendrik Tonne (SPD) told the news magazine Politico that the state government will not acquiesce if the VW law is circumvented and co-determination is undermined in order to enforce drastic job cuts and factory closures. Ahead of the VW supervisory board meeting, Tonne stated that instead, he expects a concept aimed at utilizing existing locations and thus preserving industrial jobs in Germany. “This is the responsibility of the executive board, and I see clear deficits there,” Tonne added.
The VW supervisory board is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the restructuring plan proposed by CEO Oliver Blume. Over several years, Blume aims to cut up to 100,000 jobs. Furthermore, the closure of plants in Emden and Zwickau, as well as those in Hannover and Neckarsulm, is under consideration.
Meanwhile, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Cem Özdemir (Greens) called on management, the supervisory board, and employees to seek a common solution. He told Politico, “Escalation helps no one in the end.” Özdemir further explained that his government would do everything possible to strengthen the Neckarsulm location, whether through reducing bureaucracy, attracting new future fields, or engaging with the federal government and Brussels so that German industry can compete under fair conditions.
