Ford Workers Strike in Cologne as Job Cuts Hit German Operations
Workers at Ford’s car plants in Cologne, Germany, launched a 24-hour strike last week on Wednesday in response to sweeping job cuts announced by the U.S. automaker. The walkout marks a significant escalation in labour unrest as the automotive industry grapples with weakening demand, Chinese competition, and costly electrification efforts.
Carrying banners reading “Fight for every job,” employees gathered outside one of the two Cologne plants to protest Ford’s plan to eliminate thousands of positions across its European operations. According to the plant’s works council head, Benjamin Grushka, the strike has already caused production losses worth several million euros.
“The strike today costs a couple of million euros in losses,” Grushka said. “It hurts. I would be surprised if the Ford plants don’t invite us for further talks tomorrow.” He added that workers remain ready to strike again if Ford refuses to come to the negotiating table.
The strike follows a vote by Ford workers last week authorising industrial action. In November, the company revealed plans to slash about 14% of its European workforce, with Germany among the most severely affected markets.
The layoffs reflect wider turbulence in the automotive sector. Global players like Volkswagen, Nissan, and General Motors have also announced job cuts in recent months as they face shrinking profit margins, supply chain instability, and aggressive competition from Chinese EV makers. The costly shift toward electric vehicles continues to pressure legacy manufacturers to restructure or risk falling behind.
Labour representatives at Ford have urged management to consider alternatives to mass redundancies, arguing that job cuts are a short-sighted solution to deeper structural challenges. So far, Ford has not publicly commented on the strike, nor has it responded to media inquiries.
With tensions escalating and production now disrupted, the ball is in Ford’s court. Unless constructive dialogue resumes quickly, further industrial action could follow—adding more volatility to an already uncertain future for the company’s European arm.
This strike in Cologne is more than a local dispute—it’s a microcosm of an industry at a crossroads. And for Ford, how it responds may well define its future in Europe.
