"It is a breach of culture and trust like we have never experienced before! The approach is hasty and in no way solution-oriented, but instead stirs up uncertainty and fears. This unprecedented attack on the good social partnership practiced and lived at Volkswagen is hardening the fronts and will provoke fierce resistance from the works councils, the workforce, IG Metall and politicians"

He continued: "The mayors of the local municipalities and the Association of Cities and Towns in Lower Saxony are standing in solidarity with the workforce. I am counting on the influence of our Minister President Stephan Weil and our Deputy Minister President Julia Willie Hamburg as important state representatives on Volkswagen's Supervisory Board: plant closures and compulsory redundancies must be prevented at all costs! Dismantling the social partnership also means dismantling democracy! Everything is truly at stake now!"