Volkswagen reportedly wants to cut 100,000 jobs, about 15% of its workforce, and close German plants. It would be the biggest overhaul in the carmaker’s history, and the unions are vowing to fight.
Europe’s car industry is shrinking, and its biggest name is leading the retreat. Volkswagen reportedly plans to cut around 100,000 jobs at its German plants, roughly 15% of its global workforce. If it happens, it would be the deepest overhaul in the company’s 89-year history.
The figure comes from the German business title Manager Magazin. It reported that chief executive Oliver Blume wants the cuts over the coming years to make Europe’s largest carmaker competitive again. Volkswagen would not confirm the specifics, citing internal, confidential documents.
The company did not deny the direction, though. “The entire Group, including its brands and subsidiaries, must undergo profound changes,” a spokesperson told CNBC. That is about as close to a confirmation of intent as a carmaker offers before the negotiations begin.
The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!The scale is what makes this different. Volkswagen employs hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, and a 15% cut would fall mostly in Germany, its industrial heartland. The reductions would come over several years rather than all at once. Even so, a number like 100,000 reframes what a downturn at a national champion looks like.
