BMW has entered emergency talks with workers as it faces a profit squeeze from cheap Chinese cars, a weak market in China, and rising costs linked to the Iran war. The German automaker is also advancing an efficiency plan that could cut thousands of jobs by the end of 2026.
A workers' committee spokesman told Reuters that the company is first trying to find workable solutions “through dialogue and a sense of responsibility toward our employees,” but gave no further details.
BMW now expects to reduce its global workforce by up to 5% by the end of 2026. With about 155,000 employees worldwide, that could affect as many as 7,700 jobs. The company said most of the reduction is expected to come through natural attrition and staff turnover, rather than direct layoffs.
