Wed Sep 25 04:16:09 UTC 2024: ## Volkswagen’s Powerful Works Council Chief Faces Tough Battle Over Plant Closures

**FRANKFURT** – The upcoming negotiations between Volkswagen’s labor unions and management are set to be the toughest test yet for Daniela Cavallo, the powerful head of the company’s works council. This high-stakes meeting comes just weeks after Volkswagen announced the possibility of closing German plants for the first time, breaking a two-year truce and highlighting the industry’s enduring challenges.

Cavallo, the first woman to lead Volkswagen’s works council, has earned a reputation as a fierce defender of the “Volkswagen family.” She has spent her entire career at the company, rising through the ranks from an office clerk to the head of the works council in 2021. Her dedication is deeply personal, as her father moved from Italy to Germany in 1969 to work for Volkswagen, and she, her husband, and two sisters all now contribute to the company’s global workforce of 680,000.

“Every single one of the 130,000 employees is reason enough to fight,” Cavallo said. “It’s also about their families, the suppliers and service providers around them and, last but not least, the entire regions where the plants are located.”

Cavallo is known for her unwavering determination and strategic approach. She played a key role in negotiating a pact around electric mobility in 2016, ensuring that job cuts would only occur with tangible evidence of redundancy. Her patient but persistent style, combined with a commitment to data-driven arguments, has earned her the respect of colleagues and adversaries alike.

The current situation is described as a “dark day” by Cavallo, who blames high energy and labor costs, coupled with weakening demand in Europe, for forcing management to consider drastic measures. However, she has drawn a clear line in the sand, refusing to accept plant closures. Her ability to achieve this objective may hinge on her willingness to employ the ultimate weapon: strikes. With a potential strike date set for December 1, Cavallo and the unions face a crucial battle to defend their positions, and the future of thousands of employees hangs in the balance.

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