VW supervisory board considers plan to close four German plants and cut up to 100,000 jobs amid nationwide protests
Volkswagen's supervisory board meets today in Wolfsburg to review a restructuring plan that could close four German factories and eliminate up to 100,000 jobs, while IG Metall holds protests at 18 sites across the country.
The restructuring plan
Volkswagen's supervisory board convenes today in Wolfsburg to examine a far-reaching restructuring proposal that could close four German plants and cut up to 100,000 jobs worldwide. The plan, first reported by Manager Magazin and attributed to CEO Oliver Blume's team, targets the Emden, Hannover, Zwickau and Audi's Neckarsulm sites, which together employ about 40,000 people. According to Spiegel, Zwickau and Emden would shut within five years, Hannover in 2032 and Neckarsulm in 2034. Job reductions could reach 50,000 by 2030, though Reuters and other sources put the total at 100,000. The company is also considering spinning off its core VW brand and components business to simplify the conglomerate's structure.
Protests across Germany
IG Metall, the powerful metalworkers' union, has called a nationwide day of action at all 18 VW sites, with demonstrations scheduled between 11:20 and 14:00. A rally is planned directly outside the board building in Wolfsburg where the supervisory board meets this afternoon. Christiane Benner, the union's chair, said the protests send "a clear signal to the board." She warned Blume that he cannot "pass the buck for failures of recent years on to the workforce." The union stressed that no work stoppages are planned, describing the events as information and protest gatherings.
This sends a clear signal to the board.
Boardroom resistance
The supervisory board is unlikely to approve the plan without a fight. Worker representatives, who hold half the seats, have already voiced opposition. The state of Lower Saxony, which holds two seats, also rejects the plant closures, according to German media reports. The capital side is currently one member short after Susanne Wiegand resigned unexpectedly in June, leaving nine instead of ten representatives. A VW spokesperson said the meeting would address "reducing complexity, streamlining participation, regionalising development and production, and reducing overcapacity." The company plans to inform the public about any decisions promptly after the session.
Industry under pressure
The restructuring comes as Germany's auto sector faces intense pressure from Chinese competition, the costly shift to electric vehicles, and US import tariffs. The VDA, the car industry lobby, recently warned of a potential employment collapse unless "bold decisions" are taken, including selling unviable plants to foreign manufacturers. VW employs more than 650,000 people across its brands, and about 3 million jobs in Germany are tied directly or indirectly to the car industry. By the end of this year, VW will have already reduced its headcount by 19,000, with another 9,000 exits agreed under existing cost-cutting measures.
- Supervisory board reviews restructuring plan
- VW headcount reduced by 19,000
- Up to 50,000 job cuts targeted
- Zwickau and Emden plants close
- Hannover plant closes
- Neckarsulm plant closes
What comes next
If the board accepts the proposals, months of negotiations with unions will follow. The outcome is seen as a bellwether for the future of German manufacturing. The board meeting, described in German media as the "week of truth," may not produce a final decision today, but it marks the first formal review of a plan that would be the most radical overhaul in the history of the German auto industry.
