{"id":28448,"date":"2026-03-01T14:10:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/28448\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T14:10:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:10:17","slug":"german-chemical-workers-protest-looming-job-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/28448\/","title":{"rendered":"German chemical workers protest looming job cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gulf-times.com\/gulftimes\/uploads\/images\/2026\/02\/27\/421538.jpg\" alt=\"&#10;BASF employees display placards during a protest in front of German chemical giant BASF\u2019s European administrative headquarters (BASF Services Europe GmbH) in Berlin. \u2013 AFP \" title=\"&#10;BASF employees display placards during a protest in front of German chemical giant BASF\u2019s European administrative headquarters (BASF Services Europe GmbH) in Berlin. \u2013 AFP \" onerror=\"this.src=\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\nBASF employees display placards during a protest in front of German chemical giant BASF\u2019s European administrative headquarters (BASF Services Europe GmbH) in Berlin. \u2013 AFP <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Waving\u00a0placards\u00a0reading\u00a0\u201cBroken\u00a0Agreements,\u00a0Sacrificed\u00a0Futures\u201d,\u00a0hundreds\u00a0of\u00a0workers\u00a0from\u00a0chemical\u00a0titan\u00a0BASF\u00a0protested\u00a0in\u00a0Berlin\u00a0yesterday\u00a0over\u00a0plans\u00a0to\u00a0axe\u00a0jobs\u00a0in\u00a0Germany\u00a0and\u00a0shift\u00a0them\u00a0to\u00a0Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0looming\u00a0cuts\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0major\u00a0office\u00a0employing\u00a0some\u00a03,000\u00a0administrative\u00a0staff\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0capital\u00a0are\u00a0the\u00a0latest\u00a0sign\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0huge\u00a0pressures\u00a0facing\u00a0Germany\u2019s\u00a0traditional\u00a0industries.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They\u00a0are\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0cost-cutting\u00a0drive\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0biggest\u00a0chemical\u00a0company,\u00a0which\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0battered\u00a0by\u00a0high\u00a0energy\u00a0costs\u00a0in\u00a0Germany,\u00a0weak\u00a0demand\u00a0and\u00a0massive\u00a0overcapacity\u00a0on\u00a0global\u00a0markets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u00a0BASF\u00a0is\u00a0doing\u00a0is\u00a0not\u00a0right,\u201d\u00a0Jesus\u00a0Pinate,\u00a0who\u00a0works\u00a0in\u00a0BASF\u2019s\u00a0human\u00a0resources\u00a0division,\u00a0told\u00a0AFP\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0protest.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u00a0are\u00a0taking\u00a0away\u00a0important\u00a0jobs,\u00a0a\u00a0bunch\u00a0of\u00a0people\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0unemployed,\u201d\u00a0added\u00a0the\u00a033-year-old,\u00a0as\u00a0some\u00a0300\u00a0protesters\u00a0waved\u00a0the\u00a0red\u00a0and\u00a0white\u00a0flags\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0IGBCE\u00a0chemical\u00a0workers\u00a0union.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They\u00a0also\u00a0brandished\u00a0placards\u00a0emblazoned\u00a0with\u00a0various\u00a0messages\u00a0playing\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0company\u2019s\u00a0name,\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0\u201cBerliners\u00a0Axed,\u00a0Shareholders\u00a0Flourishing\u201d\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cBudget\u00a0Above\u00a0Staff\u00a0Futures?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Berlin\u00a0Mayor\u00a0Kai\u00a0Wegner\u00a0addressed\u00a0the\u00a0protesters\u00a0outside\u00a0the\u00a0BASF\u00a0offices\u00a0in\u00a0Berlin,\u00a0telling\u00a0them\u00a0that\u00a0we\u00a0\u201care\u00a0fighting\u00a0together\u00a0for\u00a0this\u00a0site\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u00a0are\u00a0fighting\u00a0together\u00a0for\u00a0your\u00a0jobs\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0works\u00a0council,\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0union,\u00a0and\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Berlin\u00a0legislature\u00a0\u2013\u00a0I\u00a0am\u00a0sure\u00a0that\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0achieve\u00a0something\u00a0here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Outlining\u00a0the\u00a0plans\u00a0yesterday\u00a0as\u00a0it\u00a0unveiled\u00a0downbeat\u00a0financial\u00a0results,\u00a0BASF\u00a0said\u00a0that\u00a0back-office\u00a0jobs\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0reduced\u00a0including\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Berlin\u00a0office\u00a0\u2013\u00a0the\u00a0European\u00a0hub\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0global\u00a0business\u00a0services\u00a0division\u00a0\u2013\u00a0although\u00a0it\u00a0did\u00a0not\u00a0give\u00a0a\u00a0figure.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0whole\u00a0range\u00a0of\u00a0administrative\u00a0tasks\u00a0will\u00a0in\u00a0future\u00a0be\u00a0carried\u00a0out\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0new\u00a0site\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0established\u00a0in\u00a0India,\u00a0as\u00a0well\u00a0as\u00a0at\u00a0an\u00a0existing\u00a0centre\u00a0in\u00a0Malaysia,\u00a0the\u00a0group\u00a0said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u00a0will\u00a0adapt\u00a0our\u00a0existing\u00a0location\u00a0structures\u00a0and\u00a0achieve\u00a0significant\u00a0cost\u00a0savings\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0result,\u201d\u00a0BASF\u00a0chief\u00a0financial\u00a0officer\u00a0Dirk\u00a0Elvermann\u00a0told\u00a0reporters.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He\u00a0offered\u00a0assurances\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0Berlin\u00a0hub\u00a0would\u00a0not\u00a0be\u00a0closed\u00a0completely\u00a0but\u00a0conceded\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0\u201cwill\u00a0be\u00a0smaller\u00a0in\u00a0terms\u00a0of\u00a0staffing\u00a0than\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0today\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Union\u00a0representatives\u00a0however\u00a0slammed\u00a0the\u00a0plans\u00a0to\u00a0\u201crelocate\u00a0large\u00a0parts\u201d\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Berlin\u00a0operation\u00a0to\u00a0India,\u00a0and\u00a0accused\u00a0management\u00a0of\u00a0breaching\u00a0existing\u00a0agreements.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Europe\u2019s\u00a0biggest\u00a0economy\u00a0has\u00a0faced\u00a0a\u00a0storm\u00a0of\u00a0problems\u00a0in\u00a0recent\u00a0years,\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0manufacturing\u00a0slump\u00a0and\u00a0fierce\u00a0competition\u00a0from\u00a0China\u00a0to\u00a0weak\u00a0demand\u00a0in\u00a0key\u00a0export\u00a0markets\u00a0and\u00a0high\u00a0energy\u00a0prices.<\/p>\n<p>Firms\u00a0large\u00a0and\u00a0small\u00a0are\u00a0shedding\u00a0jobs,\u00a0and\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0steady\u00a0drumbeat\u00a0of\u00a0redundancy\u00a0announcements\u00a0in\u00a0sectors\u00a0ranging\u00a0from\u00a0automotive\u00a0to\u00a0factory\u00a0equipment\u00a0makers.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>BASF\u2019s\u00a0latest\u00a0results\u00a0highlighted\u00a0their\u00a0problems\u00a0\u2013\u00a0adjusted\u00a0operating\u00a0profit,\u00a0a\u00a0key\u00a0metric\u00a0for\u00a0investors\u00a0and\u00a0analysts,\u00a0slipped\u00a0to\u00a0\u20ac6.6bn\u00a0($7.8bn)\u00a0in\u00a02025\u00a0from\u00a0\u20ac7.2bn\u00a0the\u00a0year\u00a0before.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sales\u00a0meanwhile\u00a0fell\u00a0to\u00a0\u20ac59.7bn,\u00a0from\u00a0\u20ac61.4bn\u00a0in\u00a02024.\u00a0The\u00a0company\u2019s\u00a0shares\u00a0fell\u00a0by\u00a02%\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a0results\u00a0were\u00a0announced.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0group,\u00a0with\u00a0around\u00a0110,000\u00a0staff\u00a0worldwide,\u00a0is\u00a0hoping\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0turnaround\u00a0through\u00a0its\u00a0cost\u00a0savings,\u00a0targeting\u00a0in\u00a0particular\u00a0its\u00a0historic\u00a0site\u00a0in\u00a0Ludwigshafen,\u00a0the\u00a0largest\u00a0chemical\u00a0complex\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0world.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>BASF\u00a0chief\u00a0executive\u00a0Markus\u00a0Kamieth\u00a0said\u00a0yesterday\u00a0that\u00a0his\u00a0message\u00a0was\u00a0that\u00a0\u201ccost\u00a0pressure\u00a0will\u00a0naturally\u00a0remain\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u00a0will\u00a0continue\u00a0to\u00a0seek\u00a0constant\u00a0productivity\u00a0improvements\u00a0and\u00a0cost\u00a0reductions\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0coming\u00a0years,\u00a0especially\u00a0in\u00a0Europe,\u00a0but\u00a0also\u00a0worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BASF employees display placards during a protest in front of German chemical giant BASF\u2019s European administrative headquarters (BASF&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28449,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[99],"tags":[112,17971,1342,8873,190,17974,17973,4412,17972],"class_list":["post-28448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-berlin","tag-berlin","tag-chemical","tag-cuts","tag-german","tag-germany","tag-job","tag-looming","tag-protest","tag-workers"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}