Large-scale rallies took place across Germany as roughly 175,000 auto workers joined about 280 demonstrations to protest planned job cuts by major manufacturers. Volkswagen has warned of up to 100,000 job cuts and said four plants face uncertain futures, while Mercedes‑Benz, BMW and suppliers such as Bosch also plan substantial reductions. IG Metall demanded that company leaders and politicians protect jobs by ensuring investment-friendly conditions, affordable energy and stronger EU production support.
Germany’s Auto Workers Rally Nationwide as Carmakers Announce Massive Job Cuts
Employees demonstrate in front of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter plant as part of IG Metall's nationwide automotive action day. (is associated with: «German car workers stage mass protests against widespread cuts») Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Tens of thousands of auto sector employees across Germany took to the streets on Monday to demand that major manufacturers, including Volkswagen and Mercedes‑Benz, protect jobs and provide a clear plan for the industry’s future.
Large-Scale Demonstrations
The powerful IG Metall union estimated that roughly 175,000 workers joined rallies at about 280 locations, with demonstrations in core automotive centres such as Stuttgart, Wolfsburg, Ingolstadt and Munich. Workers gathered outside plants, regional union offices and city centres to voice anger at sweeping restructuring plans.
Employees demonstrate in front of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter plant as part of IG Metall's nationwide automotive action day. (is associated with: «German car workers stage mass protests against widespread cuts») Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
“Just like here at Volkswagen, workers in the automotive and supply industries are gathering all over the country today to show employers and politicians that they’ve had enough,” IG Metall head Christiane Benner said at a demonstration outside Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg.
“Things are going up in flames everywhere at the moment.”
Why Workers Are Protesting
Germany’s carmakers have been squeezed by rising competition from Chinese manufacturers, elevated energy costs, US tariffs and weakening domestic demand. Volkswagen has announced plans to cut as many as 100,000 jobs over the coming years, and the futures of four German Volkswagen plants are reportedly at risk. Other major manufacturers, including Mercedes‑Benz and BMW, and key suppliers such as Bosch have also signalled plans to reduce headcounts by tens of thousands.
Union leaders said employees expect corporate executives to take responsibility for Germany’s standing as an automotive nation and to protect both workers and jobs. IG Metall called on politicians to deliver dependable conditions for investment, ensure affordable energy and provide targeted support to strengthen production in the EU.
Workers from the Volkswagen Sachsen engine plant, along with union representatives, protest outside the plant gates, in Chemnitz. The action is part of a nationwide IG Metall protest day amid uncertainty over the future of the nearby Zwickau VW plant, which employs about 8,000 people. (is associated with: «German car workers stage mass protests against widespread cuts») Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Access And Atmosphere
According to IG Metall and the Volkswagen works council, company management ordered that media representatives be denied access to the Wolfsburg site during the protest, a restriction put in place the previous week. Despite those limitations, unions said turnout across locations underlined broad concern about the scale and pace of planned cuts.
Employees demonstrate in front of the Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter plant as part of IG Metall's nationwide automotive action day. (Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa)
Workers from the Volkswagen Sachsen engine plant and union representatives protest outside the plant gates in Chemnitz amid uncertainty over the nearby Zwickau VW plant, which employs about 8,000 people. (Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa)
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