Audi Ingolstadt: 8 billion for the future - hope for stable jobs!

Audi Ingolstadt: 8 billion for the future - hope for stable jobs!

Around 6,500 Audi employees attended the works meeting in Ingolstadt last Friday to find out about the company's current challenges and future prospects. Karola Frank, deputy chairwoman of the works council, led the meeting in Hall B, which, due to high demand, took place in person rather than online. The mood was initially relaxed, but the desire for clear information about the company's future was palpable, especially given the current sales problems Audi is facing in the electric car segment. These difficulties not only affect Audi, but also other German car manufacturers, which is reflected in the uncertainty among employees.

The chairman of the general works council, Jörg Schlagbauer, used the opportunity to criticize the company's management. He calls for a reduction in bureaucracy and emphasizes that efficiency should be optimized through trust and clear processes and not through austerity programs. In this context, he appealed to company management to prioritize investments in technology, innovations and employees. “We have to make Audi weatherproof,” said Schlagbauer, and he made it clear that added value must be brought back into the company and structures must be redesigned without massive job cuts being necessary.[audi-mediacenter.com]

Investments for the future

CEO Gernot Döllner spoke of a “year of change” and praised the progress the company has made so far. Investments of 8 billion euros have been announced for the Ingolstadt location, which are intended to secure employment until 2033. “Ingolstadt remains a central location for the future,” explained Döllner, referring to the production of the Audi A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron and a new electric entry-level model that is scheduled to come onto the market next year. The new plans are also intended to strengthen the ability to act and clarity in product and brand appearance.

Despite the optimistic approaches, there is still great uncertainty among employees. The termination of the employment guarantee at parent company Volkswagen, which overrides some previous security agreements, creates additional uncertainty. From July 2025, redundancies could occur, which is causing fear among many employees. These developments are complicated by ongoing collective bargaining, particularly in relation to the aim of extending the employment guarantee beyond 2029[br.de].

Outlook for the future

The next few weeks will be a crucial period for the Audi workforce. The works council is planning rapid discussions with management in order to better prepare Audi for the challenges ahead. Schlagbauer reiterated that the employees are ready to fight and will stand behind the board as long as they feel represented and noticed.[bolidenforum.de]

The next company meeting will take place in Neckarsulm, where around 15,000 employees are employed. It remains to be seen which new developments will become public there and whether Audi will be able to set the course in time to address its challenges.