Collective bargaining conflict at PowerCo: IG Metall demands job security!

Collective bargaining conflict at PowerCo: IG Metall demands job security!

The collective bargaining negotiations between IG Metall and the Volkswagen subsidiary PowerCo are in a deep crisis. After eight intensive rounds of talks, IG Metall has lost patience and fears the conflict will escalate. The focus of the dispute is securing employment and the future of the more than 130,000 employees who work at Volkswagen's various locations. Particularly explosive: The Salzgitter site, which is considered the heart of VW's battery division and e-mobility strategy, is severely affected by the negotiations. While IG Metall wants to secure clear commitments to employment, Volkswagen is blocking it. news38.de reports that the seven percent wage increase originally demanded by the union is on the table, but VW is not pushing forward the talks accordingly.

In the last few rounds, negotiator Alina Roß and works council chairman Björn Harmening vehemently pointed out the need for security for employees. Roß criticizes VW's blockade stance and warns of the strategic importance of PowerCo, especially with regard to Germany's industrial future. The works council leader Harmening emphasizes that the future of the group is inextricably linked to the employees. Once again it becomes clear that job security is seen as the backbone of a possible future contract.

Escalation of negotiations

The negotiations have come to a head, as n-ag.de describes in detail. Volkswagen would like to implement a wage cut of 10 percent, which was rejected by IG Metall as unacceptable. This leads to a tense climate in the factory and strains the relationship between management and employees. Since the beginning of the negotiations there have been warning strikes, in some cases up to 100,000 employees took part. IG Metall has now threatened to expand the industrial action if VW does not deviate from its blockade stance.

Previous key points from the negotiations had been declared invalid by the union. This not only shows the frustration, but also the urgent need for action that IG Metall has recognized. “It’s about more than just money,” emphasizes Alina Roß. The demand for binding employment security is in the foreground. IG Metall not only demands stability for its current employees, but also the preservation of all locations, which benefits the future of the company and the industry as a whole.

The status of the negotiations remains uncertain. It remains to be seen whether Volkswagen can show the necessary insight to regain the trust of its employees. However, one thing is clear: the automotive industry is undergoing a transformation in which responsible actions and local production are crucial to mastering the challenges of the future.