Former VW Works Council Chief Bernd Osterloh Faces Trial Over Alleged Excessive Bonuses

The Braunschweig court has opened proceedings against Osterloh and another defendant for alleged involvement in approving inflated compensation for works council members.

Bernd Osterloh, former head of VW's works council, is accused of aiding in granting excessive bonuses to works council members in three cases.
The bonuses in question reportedly ranged from €80,000 to €560,000 annually, with Osterloh himself earning up to €750,000 in peak years.
The trial stems from a previous case involving four VW personnel managers, whose 2021 acquittals were overturned by Germany's Federal Court of Justice in 2023.
Osterloh, who retired in 2023, was initially a witness in the earlier trial but now faces separate legal proceedings alongside another defendant.
Under German labor law, works council roles are honorary, and compensation must align with comparable employees to avoid preferential treatment.