this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2024
178 points (100.0% liked)

World News

39209 readers
3364 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

Volkswagen workers across Germany began strikes in response to plans to close three factories, cut pensions, and implement €18 billion in budget reductions.

Led by the IG Metall union, the strikes, involving tens of thousands of employees, are part of what unions promise to be VW’s “toughest wage dispute ever.”

The cuts follow a 64% drop in VW’s Q3 profits, driven by declining industrial orders, shrinking Chinese market share, and EU-China tariff tensions.

Union leaders demand executive concessions, with next week’s talks expected to determine escalation or resolution.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 days ago

I'm so annoyed at coverage of these issues and the economy as a whole. Journalists have to use the biggest numbers they can to make people think it's important.

Ok a 64% reduction in profits is not good. But that also means that the company is still profitable and wants to fire the thousands of people, and in so doing harm the local economy, that gave it massive profits for decades.

A 64% reduction in profits cannot be the company making a loss. Yet the article claims that BMW and Mercedes are "also making similar large losses".

Shareholders have been robbing employees blind for decades, and the second it gets a little bit less profitable we have to fire thousands of people?

And yes, I understand there must be some consideration of future proofing costs against a shrinking consumer base, but such drastic measures are solely aimed at preservation of shareholder dividends and value (see Boeing).