Audi Brussels

According to the "De Morgen" website, the former Volkswagen plant in Brussels - which was almost closed down, but finally was turned into an Audi plant - may possibly be closed down after all.

Porsche, Volkswagen's main shareholder, is systematically raising its stake in the VAG group and is said to aim for the majority. And Porsche's top executive Wendeling Wiedeking (what's in a name) reputedly was opposed to the rescue of the Brussels plant to start with. And we are told that Wiedeking wants German employment to come first. So the future of Audi Brussels may look bleak indeed.

Why am I not surprised by this rumor? Because I have seen similar things happening before. In my - admittedly limited - experience, German managers who do not put German interests first, even in so called multinational groups of German origin, are few and far between.

And let's not forget that the Brussels plant, its efficiency notwithstanding, has always been a hot spot of labor union unrest and agitation.

See also "Graaicultuur ? van de vakbonden ???".