Thousands of Audi employees demonstrated this week against the possible closure of the company's Neckarsulm plant in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, as parent company Volkswagen continues a sweeping restructuring programme expected to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs.
The demonstration was the second organised by the IG Metall trade union and the works council at Audi's Neckarsulm plant near Heilbronn, with the first protest taking place in early July. The rally on July 29 saw around 6,000 people attend, as Caliber.Az reports, citing German media outlets.
Among the speakers were Barbara Resch of IG Metall Baden-Württemberg, Neckarsulm Mayor Steffen Hertwig of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Thomas Strobl, the President of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Resch pledged to continue opposing any plans that threaten the factory's future. She announced that the union was ready to "take up the fight" and did not rule out further demonstrations, although she said she still hoped negotiations with management would take place. However, she criticised the lack of transparency surrounding the company's plans, noting that most of the available information had come through media reports rather than direct communication from Audi.
The protest also drew employee representatives from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, reflecting broader concerns across Germany's automotive sector over potential job losses.
As during the first demonstration, participants called on Volkswagen to provide a clear long-term strategy for the Neckarsulm facility. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume recently said there were "more intelligent solutions" than factory closures, but did not elaborate on what those alternatives might be.
The protest coincided with an announcement by premium rival BMW that it also plans to cut thousands of jobs, marking the latest setback for employment in Germany's automotive industry. German carmakers are increasingly facing pressure from high production costs, growing competition from Chinese manufacturers and US tariffs, forcing companies to undertake painful restructuring measures.
Although employees at the Neckarsulm plant are covered by a job security agreement until 2034, uncertainty remains over the factory's future. The Audi A5 and A6 models currently produced at the site are expected to be phased out during that period, while no replacement production programme has yet been announced. The Audi A8, which is due to leave the production line for the final time later this year, also has no confirmed successor.
Shortly before the plant's scheduled summer shutdown, Audi announced that night shifts at Neckarsulm will be discontinued from November as part of cost-cutting measures. The company said the decision had been planned for some time, with affected employees to be reassigned to other shifts.
Earlier this week, Audi Chief Financial Officer Jürgen Rittersberger said the company's current cost-saving measures would not be sufficient.
"If everyone helps, we can organise a future for Neckarsulm," he said.
Greater clarity on the plant's future could emerge on September 4, when Volkswagen's supervisory board is scheduled to hold its next meeting.
By Nazrin Sadigova
