Industrial crisis in Lüneburg: Protest for jobs and the future!

Industrial crisis in Lüneburg: Protest for jobs and the future!

Things are simmering in the city of Lüneburg: IG Metall has mobilized around 200 people on the market square to demonstrate against the alarming decline in industrial jobs in the region. The participants include employees not only from Jungheinrich, but also from Musashi and SKF. This collective action, which took place on October 30, 2025, makes it clear that the loss of any industrial jobs has not only economic but also social consequences. Thorsten Gröger, the district manager of IG Metall Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, emphasized the importance of these jobs for local social peace. The lack of political discussion about the challenges that plague the Lüneburg industrial region is all the more surprising.

Lennard Aldag, the first representative of IG Metall Celle-Lüneburg, criticized the lack of concrete solutions and called for a positive mood for the industry. “The jobs are essential for our purchasing power and the local economy,” said Aldag. A clear announcement that Ulrich Blank, the chairman of the Green city council group, also supports. He points to the high energy costs and the bureaucratic hurdles that make life difficult for companies. Blank also highlights the customs dispute with the USA, which hangs over Lüneburg like the sword of Damocles.

Challenges for companies

The Jungheinrich site is particularly affected: a total of 380 jobs are to be cut here by 2027, which IG Metall describes as a “breaking of a taboo”. The announcement caused massive concern in the region. A few months ago, 180 employees protested under the motto “Future or Resistance”. Jungheinrich has launched a transformation program to remain competitive in the future, but the price for this is massive cuts.

The importance of Jungheinrich for the global economy cannot be underestimated. With sales of over 5.5 billion euros and profits of around 430 million euros in 2023, the company is under pressure to realize cost savings of 100 million euros. At the political level, a broad support package is therefore required to make the Lüneburg location future-proof. Anna Bauseneick from the CDU emphasizes that the closure of the plant is a deep turning point for the region and calls for the promotion of industrial value creation.

Political solutions

Well-known politicians also spoke at the demonstration. Wolfgang Goralczyk from the CDU sees a need for action in the provision of new commercial space and the expansion of the infrastructure. In particular, the rapid implementation of infrastructure projects such as the connection to the motorway and the continuation of the A39 are on the political agenda. Thomas Dißelmeyer from the SPD also appeals to companies' social responsibility and sees the need to intensify dialogue with local companies.

Cornelius Grimm from the FDP calls for the general conditions for companies to be fundamentally improved. He is clearly in favor of reducing bureaucracy and actively developing commercial space. The entire political landscape is united in calling for an “Economic Round Table” in order to develop new perspectives and keep Lüneburg as a location attractive in the long term.

These concerns are not unfounded. The closure of Jungheinrich could mark the beginning of a worrying trend that would affect not only the industry but the entire local economy. The political actors in Lüneburg now have the responsibility to find solutions together that promote both economic stability and social justice. It remains to be seen whether pressure from the street, as in this demonstration, will actually lead to a rethink among decision-makers.