10k Layoffs at Daimler?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/11/29/daimler-plans-10000-layoffs-amid-auto-industrys-electric-vehicle-pivot/#1ee58f8f5639 Is this true? Does this mean Daimler won't be hiring for a while?
That's over the period of time. And yes there is already freeze in progress.
Is this just a parroting of the previous statement from a few weeks ago, which mentioned heavy cuts to middle management (already happening). I’d wager that you’ll see us leave F1 within the next two years as well. Honestly, I’m not sure how well our (or anyone’s for that matter) future product strategy is going to pan out.
There is an official statement and there is what happens in the background. DAG cannot fire people for the next 10 years, so the layoffs will happen in the external/non-AG companies. Replacement hires have there already been cut since the beginning of the year, each hire has to get signed off by E2 (=VP) level. The Autonomous stuff for personal cars is being killed right now, except the things the truck people are doing.
When you mean non-AG companies are you referring to entities such as MBUSA, DTNA, MBRD, and DFS? Or fringe entities such as Athalon and such? Why is there a 10-year freeze with DAG to begin with? Is this due to the infamous “worker’s council” that nobody likes to mention?
non-AG = anything that is not part of the collective agreement between Daimler AG and metal workers union (IGM) from December 2017. There are some daughter companies (like DFS AG, now DM AG) and somewhere is a list, but if you are employed in the US you are definitely not. Workers council is a legal thing (required by law in Germany), the unions are basically just the parties competing for the seats. So why was there a freeze? End of 2017 they negotiated with DAG planning for the next 10 years (called project 2030) where several rules were detailed. They wanted more money for the employees, DAG didn't want to give money so they came up with this idea and DAG agreed thinking good times were ahead after all MBC was just getting record sales year after year and a 10-year agreement would enable them to do longterm planning ... So they have to save money now and can' t let go of employees, so they - as usual - cut down the ones which they can. See also: https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/daimler-takes-reality-check-robotaxis Greetings from Stuttgart, colleague ;-)
It sounds like using being environmental as an excuse to cut jobs to have better balance sheets