Korean Media: Volkswagen Confirms Laying Off 25,000 Workers in Germany!
On December 18, South Korean media THE GURU published an article stating that Volkswagen's large-scale staff restructuring plan in Germany is progressing relatively smoothly. Volkswagen has agreed to lay off more than 25,000 people, accounting for about 70% of its target of 35,000 layoffs by 2030. This restructuring is one of the strategic measures taken by Volkswagen to maximize management efficiency and ensure future competitiveness amid the transition to electric vehicles and intense global competition.
Volkswagen recently announced that since the end of 2023, the company has laid off more than 11,000 employees. This layoff is part of a large-scale cost-cutting plan reached with Germany's largest union, the Metalworkers' Union (IG Metall), which aims to cut 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030. Volkswagen is implementing this plan through natural attrition, partial retirement programs, and mutually agreed retirement schemes.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, said, "The restructuring of staff has already shown results. The average operating costs at our main production sites in Wolfsburg, Emden, and Zwickau have been reduced by about 30%. These cost savings are expected to improve the company's profitability and free up resources for investment in electric vehicle technology and production facilities."
Schäfer also mentioned the success of streamlining the organizational structure. He stated that by cutting one-third of the committees of brands, the decision-making structure has been simplified and the decision-making speed has been accelerated. He further added that specific regional agreements have been successfully reached for all German operations in collaboration with the works council. Schäfer emphasized, "We still need to work hard to fully achieve our goals," but he also said, "Volkswagen has a clear roadmap—the 'Volkswagen 2030 Acceleration Strategy,' and we are steadily implementing this strategy."
Volkswagen's recent staff restructuring is seen as a crucial step in adapting to the rapidly changing automotive industry environment. Facing external challenges, especially the strict EU emission regulations and the rapid rise of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, Volkswagen is striving to maintain an advantage in the future mobility competition by improving employee efficiency and reducing costs.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851811526586371/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.