WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - In the acute crisis at car manufacturer VW, Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) is calling for jobs to be saved. "I have clear expectations of what is happening now," said Heil, according to participants at a VW works meeting. Together we must succeed in securing the VW sites in Germany, Heil said, to strong applause from participants. "Secondly, there must be no compulsory redundancies," said Heil. "That is quite clear."

Heil also told Group CEO Oliver Blume that the investments that secure the future of the sites must be safeguarded. In view of the collective bargaining talks that have been going on for months without any rapprochement, the SPD politician said: "These three points, securing locations, securing employment and securing the future of the company, must come out in the end." Heil's constituency is right next to Wolfsburg, the headquarters of VW.

"Not a romantic cuddly event"

Heil said that the social partnership in Germany and at Volkswagen must prove itself at this time. "As Minister of Labor, I know that social partnership is not a romantic, cuddly event," the politician admitted. It is about tough, even divergent interests. But fair solutions are key. "The long-term economic success of this company can only be achieved with the employees of this company - and not against them," said the labor minister of the red-green transitional government. "The employees at Volkswagen are people with rights, and they are not cost centers with ears!"

SPD politicians in favor of industrial policy

Just under twelve weeks before the Bundestag elections, Heil said: "If we want to secure our industrial base, then we must focus on an active industrial policy in Germany and Europe." Germany must remain a car country. Heil already served as Minister of Labor in the previous government, and he did so again in the now failed traffic light government.

The head of the works council, Daniela Cavallo, said that she had already invited Heil several months ago. The Group's extensive cost-cutting plans were not yet known at the time. It was only on Monday that tens of thousands of employees protested against the Group's tough cost-cutting plans in front of the boardroom. 47,000 went on a warning strike in Wolfsburg alone. Europe's largest car manufacturer is demanding a ten percent pay cut. Plant closures and compulsory redundancies are on the cards./bw/fjo/DP/ngu