FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Ford workers at the U.S. automaker’s two plants in Cologne, Germany, will go on strike on Wednesday, their works council head said on Monday, as tensions rise over planned job cuts across its European operations.
Ford said in November last year it would cut around 14% of its European workforce, mostly in Germany and Britain, blaming losses due to weak demand for electric vehicles and poor government support for the shift to the new technology.
The company declined to comment, citing ongoing negotiations with trade unions. Union IG Metall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Automakers worldwide including Volkswagen, Nissan and GM are axing jobs as new competition from China, weak demand, and the high cost of the transition to electrification weigh on their finances.
The rollercoaster of Donald Trump’s tariff policies has added further strain, with Ford joining other automakers including Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis in pulling its forecast for 2025 amid the chaos.
Ford’s workers in Cologne voted last week in favour of industrial action, with labour representatives insisting at each stage of talks that management find alternative measures to restructure its business.
An agreement struck in March to inject $4.8 billion into its cash-strapped German unit overrode a deal in place since 2006 that Ford would cover the German subsidiary’s losses, drawing protest from IG Metall.
(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach, Victoria Waldersee; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Rachel More and Ludwig Burger)
