Volkswagen to cut hours at four plants amid supply row

HAMBURG: Volkswagen is looking to cut working hours in some parts of production at its core factory and three other plants across Germany, a German state minister said on Thursday.

"Since further supply chain developments cannot be foreseen at the moment, shortened working hours are considered in partial areas at the plants in Kassel, Wolfsburg, Braunschweig and Zwickau," said Olaf Lies, Economy Minister of Germany's state of Lower Saxony, the carmaker's second-largest shareholder, at the state's parliament.

Plans to shorten hours at the core factory in Wolfsburg alone would affect more than 10,000 workers, a source had previously told Reuters.

VW said shortening staff hours are a possible response to supply problems but a decision has not been made yet.