Because of corona effects. After 4,950 euros, now only 2,700 euros bonus.
Volkswagen's collective bargaining employees will receive a significantly lower bonus for the weaker Corona financial year 2020 than last. At 2,700 euros, there is still more than half of what the 100,000 employees at the West German locations eligible for bonuses had received for 2019 (4,950 euros).
Works council chief Bernd Osterloh and HR director Gunnar Kilian announced the outcome of the negotiations for the special payment on Tuesday.
No increase
An initial partial sum of around 1,700 euros per person gross had already been transferred to the workforce last November. The remaining 1,000 euros should now follow in May.
Thus, the pandemic is also noticeable in the bonus amount. This had climbed since 2017 – after falling through “Dieselgate” – but now the business situation is not showing any further increase.
“Commitment appreciated”
The bonus is essentially based on the operating results of the Group's main division VW Passenger Cars and the brand of light commercial vehicles (VWN), viewed over the period of the previous two years. However, other sub-criteria are also created.
Osterloh said in the company newspaper “Mitbestimmen” that it was possible to add the May payment, “although there was hardly anything in it”. However, it was still possible to negotiate a premium. Kilian explained that the workforce continued to work hard in 2020: “The bonus for profit sharing honors this commitment.”
Details still open
VW and VWN were still deep in the red before the final quarter of 2020. Even if a profit should come out for 2020 as a whole, this is likely to be greatly reduced.
The scope has not yet been quantified, details are expected when the specific business figures are presented in the coming week. Most recently it was said that in the last quarter of the year at least the core brand had again reached breakeven in operational terms.
