IG Metall does not intend to accept the closure of the VW plant in Zwickau without a fight. Jan Otto, the regional director responsible for Berlin, Brandenburg, and Saxony, spoke on the sidelines of a rally at the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden about a “full-scale attack” on Volkswagen Saxony. “There is a great deal of mistrust toward the executive board after everything that has been leaked in recent days,” he told the German Press Agency. “The mood is heated and tense, and that is completely unnecessary right now. But this is the result of the company’s misguided communication strategy.”
IG Metall Demands Comprehensive Plan from Corporate Leadership
The IG Metall representative pointed to support from Saxony’s state government—specifically from Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and SPD Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Panter. VW policy isn’t made only in Lower Saxony. “We, too, are part of it. Our locations also need a future. That won’t be enough; what’s needed now is a comprehensive plan. Incidentally, it’s not IG Metall’s job to present that, but we’re ready to work on it.”
“This plant has been fully converted to e-mobility. It’s also not a good sign to close a plant like this. That’s why I can only advise the company to proceed here with responsible judgment,” Otto emphasized. The discussions simply have to stop now—nationwide. If this is handled wisely, an overall strategy can be developed. “We have good people; above all, we have great engineers, and we’re ready to help come up with solutions.” But responsibility must not be shifted onto the employees. That’s what managers are for—and they’re paid much better.
