Overview
- The nationwide 'Automobil‑Aktionstag' drew more than 100,000 people at over 200 sites, with protesters gathering at major plants and about 20,000 reported at Sindelfingen on Monday.
- IG Metall leaders used the day to demand that employers invest in German sites and to defend the 35‑hour week while calling for trade measures such as Ausgleichszölle on Chinese hybrids and EU subsidy support for restructuring suppliers.
- The union tied the mobilization to the metal and electrical tariff round, with first talks due on 7 October and current agreements expiring on 31 October, increasing the prospect of warning strikes if negotiations fail.
- New EY analysis highlighted a profit and revenue squeeze at Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW, reporting a combined first‑half revenue drop of about 2.9% and a roughly 19% fall in operating profit to €13.0 billion.
- Local risk is high for suppliers and certain plants — Zwickau, Hannover, Emden and Neckarsulm face uncertainty — and the union warns the protests could escalate into formal industrial action if political and corporate responses are insufficient.