Wolfsburg's VW factory: holidays, conversions and the future of production!

Wolfsburg's VW factory: holidays, conversions and the future of production!

Summer is just around the corner, and that means a well-deserved break for many Volkswagen employees in Wolfsburg. This year, the factory holiday at the main plant will take place exactly between July 14th and August 1st, as igm-bei-vw.de reports. During this time, numerous employees stop working for several weeks. But what actually happens to the production lines during the factory vacation?

While most of the machines are at a standstill and the factory gates are temporarily closed, assembly line 4 remains in full operation. Models such as the Tiguan and the Tayron are produced here. Around 2,500 people work every day, and around a third of the workforce consists of holiday workers who are employed by the Volkswagen personnel service provider Autovision. Your hourly wage is 16.71 euros gross plus allowances, which is a real incentive in these times, as news38.de explains.

Renovations and maintenance

Volkswagen also uses the factory vacation to carry out necessary modifications and maintenance work. A total of around 170 measures are planned, and around 400 employees – including employees of external companies – are responsible for implementing them. While the rest of the workforce works during the plant holidays, important services such as plant security and the plant fire department remain in operation. The catering industry also ensures that the remaining employees are well looked after.

Setting vacation times early is particularly important for parents with school-age children. Jürgen Hildebrandt, works council coordinator, emphasizes that the vacation period falls during the summer holidays in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, which run from the beginning of July to the beginning of August. This means families can adjust their vacation plans accordingly.

The challenges in the automotive world

tagesschau.de several works are in jeopardy. Tens of thousands of jobs could be affected, an issue that is causing public concern. The recently expired employment guarantee for many employees has led to a certain degree of uncertainty, particularly with regard to the upcoming austerity measures.

Although Volkswagen achieved record sales of around 332.3 billion euros in 2023, forecasts for 2024 show a decline in vehicle deliveries. This is reinforced by ever-increasing competitive pressure, especially from China. It remains to be seen how Volkswagen will overcome the challenges and what role the factory holidays could play in this.