A so-called review meeting regarding the collective agreement concluded in 2024 with IG Metall is scheduled for Friday. It seems quite possible that the upcoming round of collective bargaining will also influence the timing. Volkswagen announced the termination of existing collective agreements in parallel with an initial review meeting with the trade union, thereby responding to IG Metall’s demand for a 5 per cent pay rise.
The stances of the trade union and the employer have hardened. There is currently talk of a pay freeze for Volkswagen employees.
In the recent article “Dispute over pay at VW – labour law expert: a pay freeze would be a gentle solution” in the Braunschweiger Zeitung, Prof. Dr Call from the Faculty of Law at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences comments on the conflict. He begins by clarifying that collective agreements continue to apply after they have been terminated. Call describes the economic situation at the Wolfsburg-based car manufacturer as very serious. He therefore considers a pay rise in the upcoming collective bargaining round to be unlikely.
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