Volkswagen: 20,000 employees decide to turn the page

Ah, Volkswagen! A name that brings to mind factory dust and tanned leather, but also that of a giant whose gears are starting to grind. The 20,000 employees who have chosen to walk through the door in the midst of an economic storm are a bit like seeing a herd of zebras crossing the desert in search of water. A big savings plan has been put on the table, but have they really measured the consequences of this bold choice?

A macabre dance in the automotive industry

In a world where mobility continues to evolve, Volkswagen has preferred to organize a kind of masked ball, where employees' costumes are disappearing one by one. With a goal of reducing the workforce by 35,000 by 2030, the German firm is trying to reinvent itself without openly wallowing in the grim reality of layoffs. Instead, it is putting up a beautiful curtain of voluntary departures, a flattery that is far too insufficient for those who still dream of seeing Golfs around the world. The icing on the cake? Savings of 1.5 billion euros per year by reducing labor costs. Because yes, we all know that numbers make us dream.

The promise of a transition...

Gunnar Kilian, a member of the board, talks about changes, measurable progress, and teamwork, like a football coach promising victory before being fired. “We are on the right track” he says, in Wolfsburg, the factory that almost serves as a living memory for Volkswagen. All of this feels a bit like nonsense, but perhaps the promise of a 5% salary increase in two phases eases the employees' anxiety. The real question is, when will these promises turn into reality? While one can imagine that the freeze on bonuses and salaries in the short term is a pie in the sky, we suspect that the staff will taste it with a grimace.

Inevitable choices for innovation

The end of Golf production in Wolfsburg and its transfer to Mexico is just a subtle wink towards this sinister facet of modernity. A question of transition, one might say, but it seems more like avoidance. Volkswagen is embarking on the adventure of technologies and innovations, but what about human capital? It seems that employees have become pawns in this game of chess to which they were not really invited.

So, what remains of these grand promises? The responsibility of a car manufacturer is not limited to the production of cars, but also to the well-being of its employees. Perhaps Volkswagen should reflect on this reality before claiming its role in the automotive revolution. The 20,000 departures leave a bitter taste, like old wine watered down. It seems that the automotive industry must change, certainly, but not at the expense of those who have given it life for decades.

Source: www.lefigaro.fr

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