On September 21, automotive industry workers will send a clear signal—nationwide, through countless workplace actions at numerous companies in the industry.
They will no longer allow themselves to be made scapegoats for a crisis they did not cause. They will no longer foot the bill for management mistakes and the consequences of geopolitical conflicts.
The crisis facing the German automotive industry is largely self-inflicted, the result of a string of poor decisions by car company executives: small, affordable models were introduced too late; key developments in digitalization and battery technology were missed; and investments in future technologies and production sites were neglected.
Workers are saying: Enough is enough! The audacity of corporate bosses’ current strategies is staggering. Workers are expected to work more, earn less, or even lose their jobs, while companies pay out billions to shareholders. Relocation, job cuts, and plant closures are on the agenda across Germany. Last year alone, corporate bosses eliminated over 50,000 jobs in the automotive industry. Company leaders are driving Germany’s most important economic sector—a central pillar of prosperity—into irrelevance and ruin. We firmly believe there is only one path forward: the industry will not emerge from this crisis or achieve greater competitiveness through cost cutting programs, but only through investment and innovation.
That is why workers are now choosing resistance. Employees at various companies have already given their bosses a "hot summer" through a series of actions. On September 21, they will join forces nationwide at their workplaces to make it clear what needs to happen next.
Their demand: investment in future-proof products, workforce training, and secure production sites—not only unsustainable short-term cost-cutting! The motto of automotive industry workers is: "Unity is our strongest brand." IG Metall is therefore calling on all workers of all industries to take part in the actions on September 21.
Block your calendars already! More information will follow!
