Status: 06/17/2022 11:39 a.m
So far, VW is sticking to its factory in the Xinjiang region of China, which oppresses people belonging to the Uyghur Muslim minority. Now the IG Metall demands the withdrawal.
The IG Metall trade union is demanding that Volkswagen close its plant in the Uyghur region of Xinjiang in China. In the meantime, there is little doubt that human rights violations are taking place in this region, trade union boss Jörg Hofmann told the “Wolfsburger Nachrichten”. He himself is deputy chairman of the supervisory board of VW.
No evidence of human rights violations at VW
Because of these human rights violations, the group’s board of directors must deal with the issue. There is currently no indication that human rights violations have occurred at VW itself. “Nevertheless, the question has to be asked what it means for the company’s reputation to continue investing there,” the newspaper quoted Hofmann as saying.
Volkswagen has been operating a factory in the city of Urumqi together with the Chinese state-owned company Saic since 2013. China is Volkswagen’s largest sales market.
The Volkswagen plant in western China’s Urumqi (Xinjiang).
Image: picture alliance / dpa
Don’t just look at “your own front yard”.
VW can not only look at what is going on in its own “front yard”, but also has to pay attention to which “street” it lives on. Union boss Hofmann sees a need for action. The group must position itself visibly and unequivocally against human rights violations.
When human rights violations are visible to the right and left, I demand action.
VW: Improvement of the situation of the Uyghurs
The company has long been criticized for its presence in the Uyghur region, but has repeatedly denied it, arguing that its presence there helps improve the people’s situation. In a statement on the report, the group said: “We are not aware of any cases in which employees of the Saic Volkswagen company were or are in detention camps.”
The Uyghur Muslim minority, oppressed by the Chinese state, lives in the Xinjiang region of north-west China. Reports about internment camps there made headlines again recently. It also spoke of a secret shooting order in the camps.
No investment guarantees for VW
The Federal Ministry of Economics recently denied Volkswagen investment guarantees for China in connection with human rights violations. The presidium of the supervisory board, which insiders say will meet next week, should also deal with the topic. Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SDP) also sits on the committee. In October, a new state parliament will be elected in the federal state.