SALZGITTER (dpa-AFX) - Job security for the approximately 2,000 employees at Volkswagen's battery subsidiary PowerCo is to be guaranteed until the end of 2030. This is stipulated in a new collective bargaining package negotiated between PowerCo and the IG Metall union, according to a statement from the union. The collective agreement is set to run from March 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030. "During this period, layoffs for operational reasons are expressly ruled out," IG Metall stated. PowerCo has not yet commented.
According to IG Metall, the negotiation result will take effect if both parties to the agreement approve it by February 28.
IG Metall: Reliability for Employees
Volkswagen began its own battery production at the Salzgitter plant last December. Construction on the cell factory, located on the site of the former VW engine plant, has been underway since July 2022. More than one billion euros have been invested to date.
The agreement provides reliability for the workforce and for the location, said Alina Roß, chief negotiator for IG Metall in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, in a statement. In addition, a 5.5 percent increase in pay scales has reportedly been agreed. According to the union, this wage agreement can first be terminated as of March 31, 2027./len/DP/zb
