Volkswagen workers have launched rolling two-hour strikes at nine factories across Germany to underline their resistance to pay cuts and factory closures the company says are necessary to cope with a slack European car market.

The stoppages included the company’s base plant at Wolfsburg, where workers are due to rally against a cost-cutting drive by the carmaker’s management in which they face the threat of Volkswagen’s first factory closures in its home country.

The so-called warning strikes, a common tactic in German wage negotiations, are taking place as part of talks for a new labour agreement after a mandatory peace period that bars strikes expired on Sunday.

A Volkswagen worker blows a whistle
Demos also took place outside the firm’s factory in Zwickau (Hendrik Schmidt/dpa via AP)

The IG Metall industrial union said any job actions beyond those occurring on Monday would be announced later.

The company is demanding a 10% pay cut for 120,000 German workers and has said it cannot avoid shedding factory capacity that is no longer needed. Employees’ representatives say the company has proposed closing three of its German plants.

Thorsten Groger, the regional leader of the IG Metall industrial union in Lower Saxony, where Volkswagen is headquartered, said that the company won’t be able to “overlook” the walkouts.

“If necessary, this will be one of the toughest conflicts Volkswagen has ever seen.”

The company has not publicly detailed its plans but is facing a drop in demand in Europe, higher costs and increasing competition from Chinese carmakers.

Volkswagen workers light up flares
Volkswagen employees have signalled further action (Hendrik Schmidt/dpa via AP)

Volkswagen built factories to supply a European car market of 16 million in annual vehicle sales, but now faces demand for around 14 million, Volkswagen brand head Thomas Schaefer was quoted as saying in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Since Volkswagen has a quarter of the market, that represents a loss of 500,000 cars a year.

For years, strong profits in China helped cover higher costs but the changing environment now means that “it’s high time to address this,” Mr Schaefer said.

Volkswagen argues that it must lower costs in Germany to levels achieved by competitors and by Volkswagen plants in eastern Europe and South America.

Volkswagen workers with flags
Monday is the first day of the nationwide action (Hendrik Schmidt/dpa via AP)

Chief employee representative Daniela Cavallo has said employees should not shoulder the burden of management’s failures to develop attractive products and come up with a cheaper, entry-level electric vehicle.

“We demand that all make their contribution – management and the shareholder side as well,” Cavallo said at the rally in Wolfsburg as employees drummed, whistled and clapped.

She said the next round of talks in a week’s time “is likely to set the course – rapprochement or escalation. We are ready for both.”

Daniela Cavallo speaks at the rally
Daniela Cavallo is the Chairwoman of the Volkswagen General Works Council (Julian Stratenschulte/Pool Photo via AP)

The walkouts began in Zwickau in eastern Germany and were set to continue at plants in Braunschweig, Chemnitz, Dresden, Emden, Hanover, Kassel, and Salzgitter.

The next negotiations are slated for December 9.