Agency Report –
The trade union warned of a “relentless list of horrors of savings, relocations and cuts” at the carmaker, which is a subsidiary of German auto giant Volkswagen.
Among other things, it mentions the postponement of pay increases, the elimination of bonuses and a reduction in profit-sharing.
Sources told dpa that it’s “plausible” the cuts at Audi could amount to about a month’s salary for workers.
Audi management did not comment on figures, but confirmed that there have been exploratory talks about cost-cutting measures with the company’s works council.
An existing deal with labour at the company stipulates that management will open new negotiations “if the business environment deteriorates,” which the company said is now the case.
The Audi Works Council also confirmed “exploratory talks,” but did not give any concrete figures, although the chairman of the labour group, Jörg Schlagbauer, criticized “brutal cost-cutting measures” recently demanded by Audi management.
The IG Metall trade union, which represents most of Audi’s workforce, said concrete negotiations have not yet begun.
