The German automotive industry, both manufacturers and subcontractors, continues to be in the doldrums. While Volkswagen is in the throes of negotiations over plant closures and major wage cuts, and with parts manufacturers Continental and ZF having already announced 7,000 and up to 14,000 job cuts respectively, Bosch, Germany’s number one automotive parts supplier (429,000 employees worldwide), is launching group-wide cuts affecting 5,500 jobs, including around 3,850 in Germany.
As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.