Bosch cuts working hours: hundreds of employees affected!

Bosch cuts working hours: hundreds of employees affected!

A shadow is spreading over the automotive industry, and now Bosch is also feeling the consequences of the crisis. From January 2026, more than 600 employees at the Hildesheim and Renningen research locations will be put on a 35-hour week. That means a noticeable drop in salary, and it's just one measure in a larger context of working-time reductions designed to help the company navigate through turbulent times. Loud NDR This decision is due to the persistently difficult economic situation and delayed market developments in new technological fields. If you look at the circumstances, there really is something wrong!

At the moment, employees are still working 38 to 40 hours a week, but the pressure is growing. Bosch itself has already made similar cuts in other areas, and not without reason. The automotive industry is in crisis, which has recently led to massive job cuts. From the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2024, 1,500 jobs have already been lost at the German locations in Reutlingen and Abstatt, and this number could still rise. SWP even reports global job cuts of up to 15,000 positions. A really tough one for the industry.

Economic difficulties and their consequences

The call for more socially acceptable solutions is growing louder, but the numbers speak for themselves. Bosch plans to cut around 750 jobs in Hildesheim by 2032 - a necessary step, as the management emphasizes. But IG Metall also speaks out and criticizes the company's actions. The mood in the German automotive industry is at a low point, and according to the Ifo Institute, things are not getting better. With the sentiment barometer falling from -28.6 to -32.1, it shows that many companies are concerned about the coming period and are considering further cuts.

But Bosch is not alone. The market is highly competitive and other manufacturers are also following suit. Car Motor and Sport reports that Nissan, for example, is cutting 9,000 jobs and Schaeffler AG even wants to cut 4,700 jobs in Europe. Even giants like Ford and Volkswagen need to take action to get back on their feet. This clearly shows the tragic impact the crisis is having on the industry, and that is putting many people under pressure.

The future is dark

Given all these challenges, the question remains: what happens next for the auto industry? Bosch has now committed to making the job cuts socially acceptable. This means that solutions must be found that are acceptable for both employees and companies. However, uncertainty in the industry remains palpable and job retention efforts will be tested in the coming months.

Both the affected employees and the works council have already been informed and discussions have been initiated with management. However, an important appointment with the Prime Minister and Economics Minister had to be canceled, which made the situation even more tense. At a time when challenges are greater than ever, a good hand must now be shown to navigate the workforce and the industry through these difficult waters.