Volkswagen CEO announced: We will close the factory and lay off employees.

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Volkswagen's CEO Thomas Schaefer announced that layoffs and factory closures are inevitable to reduce the company's costs. Schaefer emphasized that the company needs to restructure due to rising labor costs and declining demand in Europe.

In an interview, Schäfer stated that significant steps would be taken to reduce the company's costs, which exceed 4 billion euros. The CEO expressed that this restructuring process cannot succeed with only temporary solutions, but rather permanent changes need to be made. He noted that excessive capacity and high costs must be reduced for the company to maintain its competitive advantage in the long term.

DISPUTE WITH UNIONS DEEPENS

While making these statements, the automotive brand under the Volkswagen Group is also facing deepening disputes with unions. The unions are demanding more flexible solutions in negotiations with the company to prevent job losses and factory closures. It is particularly noted that disagreements regarding wages and capacity increases have not yet been resolved. Schaefer stated that the current proposed solutions are not sustainable and could lead to larger problems in the future.

Schaefer indicated that a significant portion of the workforce reduction could be achieved through retirements and natural workforce attrition. However, he warned that this would not be sufficient. Emphasizing the need for necessary steps to be taken for the company's future, Schaefer said that delaying the restructuring until 2035 would not be meaningful. He pointed out that in a period where competitors are rapidly advancing, Volkswagen needs to complete this transition quickly.

"THE RESTRUCTURING PROCESS MUST BE COMPLETED IN 3-4 YEARS"

Schaefer stated that the restructuring process of Volkswagen needs to be completed within 3-4 years, acknowledging that this process will take quite a long time. It was emphasized that significant investments are required for the company to establish this structure. He expressed that delaying developments until 2035 could negatively affect Volkswagen's competitiveness. The steps that will shape the company's future will lead to significant changes for both employees and consumers. In these statements, where Volkswagen has reached a critical turning point for its future, it is seen that the company aims to achieve a more sustainable structure with the restructuring process.