Inside ZF Friedrichshafen: A Union Fight, a €60 Million Bonus, and a Boss Who Won't Back Down
Published on 07/24/2026 at 07:11 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The labor court in Ravensburg heard an emergency petition on Friday that could remove Achim Dietrich from his role as chair of the central works council at ZF Friedrichshafen. The request comes from the Christian Metalworkers' Union (CGM), which accuses him of serious misconduct.
At the heart of the dispute is a clash over how to handle a looming pay cut. ZF, an automotive supplier, plans to scrap a company-wide bonus known as the "Zeppelin allowance" by mid-2027. The extra payment amounts to roughly ten percent of gross wages and costs the company €60 million annually.
Management says the move is necessary to tighten the belt during the auto industry crisis. Workers see it as a severe blow to their earnings.
The CGM claims Dietrich has turned the works council into a tool for the rival IG Metall union. Specific allegations include systematically blocking overtime and orchestrating the disruption of a July 14 company meeting. At that event, around 5,000 employees booed and prevented HR director Lea Corzilius from speaking.
CGM managing director Jastrob described the behavior as a clear breach of duty.
Dietrich and works council spokesperson Flotow reject the accusations as baseless and defamatory. They argue there is no legitimate reason to remove Dietrich from office.
The conflict at ZF reflects broader distress across Germany's supplier industry. Major manufacturers like Volkswagen are pushing through cost-cutting programs. Analysts estimate up to 100,000 jobs could disappear globally. Suppliers are especially vulnerable in this environment.
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Similar tensions have surfaced elsewhere. Albert Weber GmbH recently announced it would close several sites. The German Trade Union Confederation has called for nationwide protests on September 26 against the wave of job cuts.
At ZF, negotiations over the future of certain divisions — including the electrified drivetrain unit — have been underway since last year. No concrete results have emerged. Instead, the legal battle over the works council leadership now dominates the agenda.
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