German metalworkers slam Audi boss over Trump campaign event

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - German automaker Audi’s chief executive came under heavy criticism Monday after appearing on stage with US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally ahead of the midterm elections.

Trade union IG Metall sharply criticized Audi CEO Gernot Doellner for getting involved in politics and announcing plans for a new plant in the United States at a time when workers in Germany face uncertainty over possible plant closures.

“The way Gernot Doellner presented himself and Audi in the US is highly embarrassing and politically unacceptable,” Christiane Benner, IG Metall’s first chairwoman, said in a statement, adding that his appearance did a disservice to the company and, above all, to the workers who build its cars.

The criticism followed Trump’s surprise announcement Saturday at a campaign event in Perry, Georgia, that a new Audi plant would be built there. Doellner then took the stage and thanked the US president for his support. The plans call for an investment of $4 billion (€3.6 billion) and the creation of about 4,500 jobs.

IG Metall’s Benner said the Audi chief’s attendance at a political campaign event in the US blatantly violated Audi’s own guidelines, which explicitly require political neutrality in the run-up to elections.

She also criticized the hasty announcement of a US plant, stressing that any final decision to build a new factory requires approval from the relevant bodies, including Volkswagen AG’s supervisory board.

“For months, our employee representatives have been demanding job security for the German sites, alongside a clear North America strategy from Volkswagen and Audi,” she said.

“Our primary focus remains, at all times, on ensuring secure employment prospects for our colleagues at all of our local plants. This will continue to shape future discussions and decisions within the company’s governing bodies,” Benner added.

Ayhan Şimşek