Solidarity in the steel: Duisburg's workers are fighting for the future!

Solidarity in the steel: Duisburg's workers are fighting for the future!

In Germany it is bubbling: Under the motto "Nobody pushes us away", members of the Stahl solidarity group gather in Duisburg on Saturday, December 14, 2024. This movement is a response to the worrying plans of industrial figures such as Thyssenkrupp, VW and Bosch, which are increasingly targeting the rights and jobs of the employees. As Lokalkompass.de Workers from other car manufacturers because the movement gains momentum and over 100,000 people participate in combative company meetings and warning strikes.

Volkswagen, one of the largest private employers worldwide with over 684,000 employees at the end of 2023, is also the focus of a comprehensive transformation. According to the group report from Volkswagen-group.com there is a lot to offer for employees an attractive working environment that contains hybrid working forms and modern office designs. The personnel strategy "Transform to Tech" is intended to ensure that the employees are optimally prepared for the upcoming challenges, also with regard to digital transformations and individual training opportunities. This happens against the background that VW wants to further increase the proportion of women in management positions by 2025 and last but not least also promotes diversity in the company.

Developments in industry indicate significant upheaval. The strike demands are a clear expression of resistance to the impending changes that could endanger the safe employment of thousands of employees. While the Solidarity District in Duisburg advocates the rights of steel workers, the question of how the large corporations, including VW, will react to the increasing pressure of the workforce. The coming weeks could be decisive for how the labor market is designed in Germany and what measures are taken to protect the plaintiffs and create new jobs.