Volkswagen works council
Volkswagen Works Council member Daniela Cavallo already played an important role in the negotiations on the “Future Pact”
Volkswagen works council chief Bernd Osterloh is considered one of the most powerful men in the auto industry. Now, with Daniela Cavallo, a woman comes to his side as new substitute. Thus, the succession question at the head of this powerful employee representation becomes more concrete.
A woman moves into the top of the powerful Volkswagen Group Works Council: Daniela Cavallo (43) succeeds Stephan Wolf as Works Council Vice – and could take over the position of Works Council Director Bernd Osterloh in the long term. The 62-year-old – elected until 2022 – but will continue for some years, as the German press agency learned from well-informed circles.
Should it come down to them, Cavallo could take on a heavy legacy: Osterloh, one of the most powerful men in the German automotive industry, often clamours for the 640,000 VW employees – even against the board. In May, however, Osterloh said: “I will remain chief of works council until early 2022. And if I’m asked, then I may run again.” He has been in office since 2005.
DPA
Serves for 640,000 employees: Group Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh at Volkswagen
At the end of the year Wolf resigned all previous posts in works council, company and IG Metall, the works council announced. The 52-year-old takes on a new task.
Also read: How the Works Council Volkswagen co-governs
For the economist Cavallo, working in the works council is not new: since 2002 she is a member of the works council, since 2013 of the central works council. In the negotiations on the “Future Pact” she played an important role – she negotiated the field of so-called personal transformation. These include the internal labor market, strategic personnel planning and external recruitment.
The biggest challenges for the world’s largest carmaker – and also the works council – are yet to come: Volkswagen had announced the investment in electromobilityto increase autonomous driving and digitization to almost € 44 billion over the next five years. From 2022 electric cars will also be built at the Hanover and Emden locations. Because this is less expensive, employment should be reduced through partial retirement.
rei / dpa