VW Osnabrück Workers Move to Four-Day Week as Plant Hunts for New Purpose After T-Roc Cabrio Phase-Out
18.06.2026 - 02:42:46 | boerse-global.de
The fate of Volkswagen’s Osnabrück plant hangs in the balance as the company scrambles to find an industrial future for the site beyond 2027. Talks with defense contractors, including Israeli missile shield specialist Rafael, are underway — but no deal has been reached. Meanwhile, around 2,000 to 2,300 employees have been placed on a four-day work week as demand for the last vehicle built there, the T-Roc Cabrio, continues to slide.
The reduction in working hours is the latest blow to a workforce that has seen production steadily dwindle. Volkswagen extended the plant’s August holiday by one week and has scheduled additional non-production days afterward, effectively creating a four-day schedule for the affected employees. The company cited seasonally weak and overall lower demand for the convertible model as the reason.
Jürgen Placke, head of the works council, said the decision hits the workforce hard. In the view of employee representatives, work at the Osnabrück site is visibly running out. “A full year before the planned end of Cabrio production, workers are now being forced into a shortened work week,” Placke stated.
The plant’s economic situation has grown precarious. Production of Porsche models ended in late 2025. The T-Roc Cabrio is now the only remaining vehicle assembled in Osnabrück, with output scheduled to finish in late summer 2027. No successor model has been confirmed.
Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Olaf Lies has demanded greater clarity for employees. He insisted that credible, long-term perspectives must be created quickly to secure the site beyond 2027.
Volkswagen is exploring alternative uses for the factory halls to avoid a complete shutdown. A key focus is negotiations with companies in the defense sector. Among others, the automaker is in talks with Rafael, the Israeli defense firm known for the Iron Dome missile defense system. Earlier this year, Rheinmetall ended its own discussions about potentially using the Osnabrück site. Volkswagen says it remains committed to finding an industrial reuse. A final decision on the plant’s future — and possible partnerships — is expected by year-end.
The Osnabrück crisis isn’t the only source of tension within Volkswagen. Despite a sharp drop in profits, the company plans to pay out a dividend of €2.6 billion. Against the backdrop of announced cost-cutting measures at German facilities, that decision has stirred resentment among workers and critics alike.
