Enlarge image

Machine operator at ZF Friedrichshafen

Photo:

Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / picture alliance / dpa

At Germany's second largest auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen there is a dispute about the extent of the planned cost-cutting measures. Management contradicts statements from the works council that 12,000 jobs should be cut in Germany over the next six years.

There is no such plan, Frank Iwer, head of human resources in Germany, told SPIEGEL. The number only describes “the potential that demographic change offers us,” i.e. the total number of employees who are leaving through early or regular retirement. "That means: Even if we had to cut 12,000 jobs by 2030, we would be able to do this without any redundancies."

Works council head Achim Dietrich, on the other hand, says that the 12,000 jobs are a declared reduction target. He refers to figures that the general works council officially received from the ZF board at a meeting in December. The potential for job cuts is therefore as high as 18,000. The employee representatives therefore felt obliged to inform the workforce.

Last week, several thousand employees demonstrated at the Friedrichshafen headquarters against the threat of job cuts. ZF is under enormous pressure to save money. The supplier has debts of more than eleven billion euros. In addition, the company, like the entire industry, is suffering from the weak economy and the shift to e-mobility, which has so far caused high costs but hardly brought in any profits. Continental and Bosch also want to cut thousands of jobs in their car divisions.

The fact that jobs have to be saved is inevitable due to technological change, says human resources manager Iwer. At locations like Friedrichshafen or Saarbrücken, ZF is primarily focusing on more flexibility for employees, for example in terms of working and vacation times. If the economy continues to decline, Iwer said, ZF could reduce weekly working hours by a few hours. “With such measures we can position ourselves more competitively and get through the next two economically turbulent years.” Billions in investments are intended to secure the future of the locations beyond 2030.

sh