German workers protest job cuts and wage gaps in auto industry and bakery sector

In Germany, more than 33,000 auto‑industry employees have taken to the streets demanding protection of jobs and wages as manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes announce large‑scale cut‑backs. Plans include the possible closure of four German plants and a total reduction of up to 100,000 jobs worldwide, with senior staff urging a return to longer working hours for the same pay.

At the same time, employees of the Ditsch bakery, the world’s largest pretzel producer, began a 40‑hour warning strike over a 20‑30 % wage disparity between eastern and western German regions. The NGG union says the strike follows a vote in which 88 % rejected the latest employer offer, adding to more than 2,500 hours of strike time already recorded in the broader food‑industry wage dispute.