Multitudes of Volkswagen employees spurn IG Metall union support
Volkswagen Employees Dissatisfied with Union Over Job Cuts
A wave of discontent among Volkswagen employees is sweeping through the German automotive giant, with thousands leaving the IG Metall union due to dissatisfaction with the union's role in agreeing to job cuts and redundancies. This trend reflects a broader crisis in Germany’s automotive and metal industries, where unions like IG Metall are criticized for collaborating with management on "redundancy plans" without consulting the workforce [1].
The current works council leadership, particularly chairwoman Daniela Cavallo, faces a significant challenge in the upcoming elections, as Frank Patta, a former IG Metall member, emerges as Cavallo's sharpest competitor [5]. Patta has been vocal in his criticism of the works council leadership for making too many concessions to the company, particularly regarding the relocation of Golf production and interventions in remuneration and work structures [2].
The departures from IG Metall are primarily due to dissatisfaction with the results of the latest collective bargaining negotiations, with employees feeling abandoned by the trade union and the works council [3]. Since the beginning of the year, over 2,000 Volkswagen employees have left the union, and the trend of employees leaving IG Metall is continuing to rise, potentially reaching 3,000 in the coming weeks [3].
The organization rate at Volkswagen remains above 90 percent, but internal tensions are unmistakable. The significant loss of members is occurring at an inopportune time, as works council elections are approaching in a few months. A weakened works council could significantly impair the negotiating position of the employees' side in future collective bargaining rounds [4].
The power struggle within the workers' representation could significantly weaken in the future, as the IG Metall managed to secure job guarantees until 2030 and the retention of all German plants, but at the cost of 35,000 jobs, cuts to remuneration structures, and the relocation of Golf production to Mexico [1].
The ongoing transformation at Volkswagen, with significant changes planned for the main plant in Wolfsburg, is causing discontent among employees [6]. The production of the combustion engine Golf will end in 2027, with electric vehicles like the ID.3 set to be produced there in the future [7]. Other sites like Osnabrück and Dresden are also affected by uncertainties.
The erosion of union membership could weaken IG Metall’s influence, potentially reducing its ability to negotiate collective agreements that help stabilize labor relations. It might lead to more direct confrontations between employees and management or increase workplace unrest if workers feel unrepresented [1].
The trend of employees abandoning IG Metall is part of a larger pattern of workforce resistance growing as companies push for leaner organizations, exemplified by aggressive layoff tactics at other companies like Mercedes, where employees report pressure to leave despite claims of "voluntary" severance [2]. This dynamic is heightening tensions within the German automotive labor movement amid an industry facing technological transitions and economic pressures.
[1] https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/autosen/ig-metall-verliert-mitgliedschaft-bei-vw-und-in-der-autobranche-a-1247608.html [2] https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/automotive/mercedes-starke-abgabe-von-arbeitskrachten-unter-arbeitslosigkeit-droht/26415042.html [3] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/vw-arbeiter-fluechten-von-ig-metall/26943984.html [4] https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/autosen/article207377972/VW-Arbeiter-fluechten-von-IG-Metall.html [5] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/vw-arbeitsrat-wahlen-frank-patta-geht-gegen-daniela-cavallo-und-will-den-arbeitsrat-veraenderen/27027128.html [6] https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/automotive/vw-plant-grosser-umstellung-in-wolfsburg/26407356.html [7] https://www.spiegel.de/auto/test/vw-id-3-test-der-elektrischen-golf-a-1248535.html
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