Announcing that "warning strikes", which usually last a few hours, will begin at all VW plants, the union IG Metall's lead negotiator with VW, Thorsten Gröger, said: "If need be, it will be the toughest collective bargaining battle Volkswagen has ever seen."
The union leader accused VW managers of making the situation worse. "Volkswagen has set fire to our collective agreements," Gröger said.
VW's plans to close at least three plants - the first domestic closures in the company's 87-year history - lay off thousands of workers and cut pay by 10% have led to a bitter dispute with the union and works council.
In a statement yesterday VW said it respected the right of employees to take part in a warning strike and had taken steps to minimise the impact.
This story is from the December 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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