The turmoil of Volkswagen, a real challenge for Germany

There are mornings when one wakes up wondering if they are living in a 90s cartoon. Volkswagen, this titan of the automobile industry, emblem of German power, is flirting with a disaster worthy of the most improbable episodes of "The Simpsons." When director Thomas Schäfer speaks of a "framework on fire," he is not talking about a new advertising campaign for his latest car models, but rather the enormous chaos brewing within the company. The threat, no less, of a factory closure on German soil for the first time in a century. It's a bit like Santa Claus announcing that he has decided not to give gifts this year, because the factory can no longer keep up.

An explosive situation for the German automobile industry

Volkswagen, in the midst of this economic storm, seems ready to declare its "holiday village" soon closed. With exponential costs and unrestrained competition coming from China, one might think that these engineers with their stainless steel watches would be fitter than a football player. Nevertheless, the image of the emblem of German entrepreneurship is drastically darkening. The 684,000 employees, previously under the illusion of security, now see their pension dreams vanish like a mirage on the highway.

Unions and the art of war

There is movement in the halls of VW, and not the kind one hoped for during Champions League nights. Daniela Cavallo, the chairwoman of the works council, proclaims, "This will not happen with us." The wind is about to blow into a storm and the management will face a counter-attack that would make Viking warriors blush. On the ground, the German co-determination system is ready to express its full power. One might almost expect to see employees in armor heading to negotiations.

The mirror of despair

In this turmoil, Volkswagen is not alone. Brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and even outsiders like Fiat and Peugeot are starting to get hot under the collar. The specter of factory closures and layoffs threatens to become a riddle for all these automotive giants. A true danse macabre where each performer tries to stay on their feet while the music intensifies, and the audience begins to worry about the fate of the entire industry.

And here comes the little guy in the corner, Ford, with its restructuring announcements from a previous life, rubbing its hands together. If it doesn’t mock too much, all these players will have to think about the future before the curtain falls. How many workers at Volkswagen will still have jobs when the dust finally settles? A game of poker at the Roulette of the German economy.

Source: www.lefigaro.fr

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