Electrification plans for upcoming new vehicle models are causing some industrial niggle at a Daimler powertrain plant.
According to Reuters, works council chief Wolfgang Nieke said the council at Untertuerkheim would oppose any overtime work from 1 July if management refuses to assign orders for development and production of an electric powertrain to the plant.
The factory near Stuttgart employs over 19,000 staff who build engines, transmissions and axles for Mercedes-Benz cars.
Reuters said workers fear the plant may lose orders in future as Daimler is raising spending on electric cars that need engines which consist of fewer parts and require fewer workers on the assembly line.
Factory managers want to continue talks with labour in a constructive way but realise it will not be easy to resolve the row, plant chief Frank Deiss told the news agency, calling on workers to be willing to make concessions as the plant shifts focus to battery-powered engines.