Key Facts

• Volkswagen may cut up to 100,000 jobs and close four factories in Germany.
• The affected factories include plants in Hanover, Emden, Zwickau, and Audi’s Neckarsulm site.
• IG Metall union is organizing demonstrations at 18 Volkswagen sites, including the company’s headquarters.
• Volkswagen employs over 650,000 people in Germany across brands like Audi, Bentley, Skoda, and Seat.
• The supervisory board includes company, union, and local government representatives and must approve the plans.
• The Volkswagen Act law protects most plants from closure without a two-thirds board majority, which is unlikely against union opposition.
• Some plants like Zwickau and Neckarsulm are not protected by this law and could be closed without board approval, but strong resistance is expected.
• Volkswagen may also simplify its company structure by spinning off some divisions to improve efficiency.