Volkswagen is bringing some change to its shift structure at the Zwickau production plant, which builds only all-electric vehicles.
The Zwickau plant in Germany has been Volkswagen’s EV production plant for nearly two years and is a significant contributor to the brand’s strategy to eventually phase out gas-powered vehicles in an attempt to become a 100 percent electric car producer.
However, the transition to producing only electric cars has proven to be more challenging than initially thought, and it has already had negative ramifications on the company and its employees.
Earlier this month, Volkswagen said that it planned to implement a round of job cuts that would affect temporary workers. Roughly 2,500 of them could be affected, according to reports from German media outlets, including Automobilwoche, which was first to the story.
Volkswagen expected to initiate job cuts at Zwickau EV plant: report
Now, the German outlet dpa is reporting that Volkswagen has taken its first steps in its new and revised strategy for work shifts at the plant. It will completely terminate the three-shift production agreement, which has been in place for 32 years. Volkswagen plans to keep the work schedule intact until the end of the year.
When 2024 rolls around, Volkswagen will attempt to reach a new agreement with employees.
The German automaker said in a statement:
“The aim is to reach a new agreement, jointly supported by the company and the employees, which takes into account the current market situation and ensures the economic viability of the site.”
Volkswagen made the decision earlier this month to cut the jobs because demand for its EVs has been lower than expected. The entire plant being dedicated to the production of electric vehicles has hindered the company’s workload, which has lessened its need for the number of employees it has.
It has also chosen to temporarily cut production of two EVs at the plant: the ID.3 and Cupra Born. This also affected the Dresden plant, which is also located in Germany.
Volkswagen has been fighting for market share across the globe in terms of its EVs. For example, in the UK, it has just 7.13 percent of the EV market in the United Kingdom, which trails Tesla, BMW, and MG.
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