Volkswagen Woes Continues As Staffs Protest In Brussels Plant

Thousands of workers in Brussels protested today due to the announced closure of the Volkswagen factory there, where the luxury model of the electric Audi is produced.

Police said the demonstration, which featured large banners reading “Industry is ours,” was peaceful and drew approximately 5,500 people, Reuters reports.

Workers in the Brussels factory complain about job and salary insecurity, while union representatives also warn of the wider context of the problem, namely that car production is increasingly being moved outside of Europe. The endangered factory, which produced around 50,000 cars last year, has problems with long-standing challenges such as high logistics costs.

Volkswagen’s management decided on a major savings program until 2026 and cancelled the employment guarantee for around 110,000 workers to deal with a cash deficit of five billion euros.

“The economic environment has deteriorated again, new suppliers are coming to Europe. In addition, Germany is particularly lagging in terms of competitiveness. We as a company now have to act consistently in this environment,” said Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume.

• Also See: State Premier: Volkswagen Must Quickly Hold Talks With Staff