Union Member on VW's Armament Plans: 'We See Risks for Our Colleagues'

In an interview with taz.de, long-time Volkswagen employee and IG Metall union representative Namik Sarikaya discusses his initiative opposing VW's plans to enter the arms industry. Sarikaya notes that many workers support the move due to job security fears, but he highlights risks including ethical burdens, psychological pressure on workers who oppose weapons production, potential layoffs for those failing security checks, and the danger of plants becoming military targets. He argues that armaments do not create sustainable value and that alternative production, such as buses and trains, is possible. The initiative is collecting signatures across multiple VW locations including Wolfsburg, Salzgitter, and Osnabrück.