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VW plans job cuts: Up to 35,000 jobs at risk by 2030!
Volkswagen plans to cut 35,000 jobs in Wolfsburg by 2030, primarily through partial retirement. Personnel decisions are made voluntarily.
VW plans job cuts: Up to 35,000 jobs at risk by 2030!
Volkswagen's plans to make significant savings by 2030 are causing mixed feelings among the approximately 130,000 employees in Germany. In an internal communication, the Handelsblatt It was announced that up to 35,000 jobs would be cut, which corresponds to around a quarter of the jobs. Human resources director Gunnar Kilian confirmed the decision and made it clear that 20,000 of these positions were already contractually secured and would therefore be eliminated in a kind of “partial retirement” program or through regular retirement.
Of the planned 35,000 positions, over 14,000 employees will leave the company on the basis of partial retirement. Around 5,000 employees will also leave due to their regular retirement. In addition, around 1,300 employees have accepted voluntary termination agreements, with some of these agreements offering high severance payments in the six-figure range.
Dismantling details
The reduction of jobs will most likely be carried out in a socially acceptable manner. This means that there will be no redundancies for operational reasons. Instead, employees have voluntary departure options available. The aim of the personnel extraordinaries is to responsibly reduce the workforce through voluntary departures and thus secure economic success. The eastern plants in Saxony and Osnabrück are not included in the mining options.
Particular attention will be paid to those born in 1969, who will probably be offered the opportunity for partial retirement. This regulation could encourage additional departures. Brand CFO David Powels once again emphasized the need for austerity measures in order to make Volkswagen competitive and sustainable by 2029.
Future prospects
Looking at the company's future positioning, things will be exciting for the Wolfsburg parent plant, which faces a considerable challenge due to its high demand for classic combustion engine models such as the Golf and Tiguan. Nevertheless, group works council boss Daniela Cavallo announced that sales of the Golf would likely decline, which could also have an impact on production capacities in two years. From 2027, a four-day week could also become established as a new working time regulation in Wolfsburg.
The company currently has its hands full with the renovation of the main factory for the new SSP electric car platform. Here, employees have to be careful to top up their working time accounts in order to avoid financial losses. But the uncertain future with regard to electric cars and dismantling plans shows how on a knife edge the situation is for Volkswagen employees every day.
The coming years will decide how Volkswagen can maintain its place in the car market. Whether with fire and flames or more than one dent in the trunk, one thing is clear: change is coming and will certainly leave its mark.