Volkswagen’s Job Cuts May Balloon to 140,000, Unionists Say

In Germany on 25 August 2026, unionists said Volkswagen's job cuts could grow to 140,000. Corriere della Sera reported that unions fear one worker in six in the German auto industry is at risk, while VW sees about half of its planned job cuts falling in Germany. Workers whistled at CEO Blume, saying trust had been damaged, and Reuters described a battle between the CEO, rival stakeholders and angry workers over the cuts. Deutsche Welle asked whether VW's crunch week would decide the future of Germany's auto industry.

Elsewhere in the German economy, Volkswagen started its own battery cell production in Germany, and the economy grew faster than estimated as exports rebounded. Waymo picked Munich for its first EU robotaxi launch, with testing to begin there and driverless rides due in 2027.