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Solidary and Determined – PowerCo Employees Demand Movement at the Negotiating Table
At the 15th ordinary works assembly at the Volkswagen Components site in Salzgitter on December 3, 2025, active employees of PowerCo SE also took the floor. Fangfang Shen, Lukasz Rusek, and Mahdi Louchem used the discussion to make the workforce’s position clear – with strong messages and a powerful action.
“We want secure jobs, fair pay, and good working conditions,” began Fangfang Shen. She emphasized that economic success and job security must go hand in hand: “Only with fair conditions will PowerCo succeed. Strong battery technology secures the future viability of the entire Group and drives electromobility forward in Europe.”
But the reality in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations looks different: Deadlock. Blockade. No movement. These words shaped the speakers’ contributions. Lukasz Rusek recalled the warning strike in April: “We have shown that we are ready to stand up for our rights. We are not fighting alone: Power Co, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Group Services, we are one workforce, and we will not be divided!”
As a visible sign of this determination, the employees presented their postcard campaign: Over 700 signed cards were collected – each one an appeal to management for job security now! Mahdi Louchem summed up the message: “You can block negotiations, but you cannot stop us. We are ready to talk, ready to negotiate, ready to find compromises – for the future of our site and for our families. But you must also be ready: Back to the table, with respect and real offers!”
To conclude, the three speakers handed over the postcards to Frank Blome, CEO of PowerCo SE, and Sebastian Krapoth, Chief Human Resources Officer of PowerCo SE – a strong symbol of unity and determination. “We are united, and we will not back down!” was their shared message.
Background: Current Status of Collective Bargaining at PowerCo
The collective bargaining negotiations at PowerCo remain deadlocked. The VW Group Board refuses to give employees of PowerCo SE a binding commitment on job security. IG Metall continues to call for constructive negotiations and warns against further delays that could jeopardize the future of the site and its workforce.