Volkswagen 100,000 job cuts leave plants uncertain

Volkswagen workers in Germany voiced anger and uncertainty on Friday after management, shareholders and unions agreed to raise planned job cuts to 100,000 over the coming years and left the long-term future of four German plants unresolved.

The German carmaker said late Thursday it would cut an additional 50,000 jobs. The group includes Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Seat and Porsche.

The future of plants in Neckarsulm, Emden, Hannover and Zwickau remains unclear. Management and unions agreed only to seek alternative uses for the sites.

Volkswagen shares opened almost 10 percent higher on Friday. Analysts at Deutsche Bank said the deal showed the company was able to make difficult decisions needed to cut costs.

Workers and local businesses around Zwickau told AFP the lack of certainty was damaging. Lars Bochmann, who has worked at the Zwickau plant throughout his professional life, called the agreement “utterly deficient” and said workers wanted clear answers on whether the site had a future.

Denny Pohl, a logistics worker at wheel-maker Radsystem, said about 80 percent of his company’s revenue came from the Zwickau plant and warned that uncertainty would hold back investment in the local economy.