In view of the crisis in the automotive industry, the supplier Bosch wants to cut more jobs than previously known. A company spokeswoman said there will be a further “need for adjustments” of up to 5,550 jobs in the coming years. More than two thirds of these – a total of 3,800 jobs – are to be eliminated in Germany.
According to the information, the figures are planning. Exact figures are part of the negotiations with employee representatives, which are now set to begin. The dismantling should be made as socially acceptable as possible. The agreement concluded in mid-2023 continues to apply, which excludes operational dismissals in the supply division in Germany until the end of 2027, and in parts even until the end of 2029.
The Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division, which is responsible for assistance systems and automated driving, for example, is most affected by the current plans. By the end of 2027, 3,500 jobs will be lost worldwide, around half of them in Germany. According to the works council, this concerns the locations Leonberg, Abstatt, Renningen and Schwieberdingen in Baden-Württemberg and Hildesheim in Lower Saxony.
In addition, at the Hildesheim plant, where Bosch produces products for electromobility, a total of around 750 jobs are to be eliminated by 2032 – a large part of them (600) by the end of 2026. There are also savings plans for the division that produces steering systems for cars and trucks . Up to 1,300 jobs are to be cut at the Schwäbisch Gmünd site between 2027 and 2030, more than a third of the employees there.
Sharp criticism from the works council
The supplier justifies the savings plans with the crisis in the auto industry. “Global vehicle production will stagnate at around 93 million units this year, if not even decline slightly compared to the previous year,” said Bosch. At most, a slight recovery is expected next year. There is significant overcapacity in the industry. Competition and price pressure have also increased.
According to Bosch, for example, manufacturers are ordering significantly fewer parts for electric cars, which is leading to excess staff in Hildesheim. In addition, the market for future technology is developing differently than Bosch expected: driver assistance systems and solutions for automated driving are not as in demand as forecast. It is said that many such projects are currently being postponed or abandoned by manufacturers.
Increasing competition is causing Bosch problems in the steering division. In response, they plan to bundle functions and reduce costs. To this end, existing factories abroad should also be better utilized with different cost structures in order to be able to offer the steering systems internationally at competitive prices.
Sharp criticism of the plans came from employee representatives. “The company’s announcement that it will reduce staff to this extent is a slap in the face for the employees,” said the works council head of the supply division, Frank Sell. A total of around 2,200 job cuts in four different business areas had already been agreed in May. The additional staff cuts within a short period of time lead to a loss of trust in the management and lead to great uncertainty. In recent months, Bosch has also reduced the working hours of numerous employees – and their salaries accordingly.
“Due to the company’s unilateral intervention in employee pay, we have also reached a new low in our cooperation with management,” Sell continued. This puts social peace in the company at risk. “We will now organize our resistance to these plans at all levels.”
For over a year, the technology group’s plans to cut jobs worldwide had been announced several times. In total there are more than 7,000 jobs involved. German locations are largely affected – including in areas of the automotive supply division, but also in the tool division and at the household appliance subsidiary BSH.
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