At the technology group Bosch, headquartered in Gerlingen, the reduction of approximately 22,000 jobs in the Mobility division has been finalized for almost all affected German locations following lengthy negotiations with the works council. This is due to the expanded cost-cutting plans implemented in the supplier division in September 2025, which primarily affect plants in Baden-Württemberg and Saarland. However, the biggest risk factor remains: compulsory redundancies are only considered ruled out as long as the reduction targets are met without coercion. The consequences are already concrete: plants are closing earlier, locations are losing hundreds of jobs, and negotiations are still ongoing only in one area of the Stuttgart-Feuerbach plant. (merkur: 13.03.26)
Bosch and the works council are negotiating the details
In September 2025, Bosch put another 13,000 jobs at risk. Together with previous plans, this brings the total number of job cuts at Bosch Mobility to around 22,000. The IG Metall union and the works council protested vehemently, but agreements have now been reached for almost all German locations.
According to works council chairman Frank Sell, negotiations have been concluded at almost all affected Mobility locations. Only one division at the largest German site in Stuttgart-Feuerbach is still under negotiation. Sell explained: “The negotiations were extremely difficult.” The primary goal, therefore, was to limit job cuts at the sites as much as possible.
Layoffs only as a last resort
A previous agreement from 2023 generally excludes layoffs at Bosch Mobility’s German locations until the end of 2027. Therefore, the company is initially relying on voluntary severance packages, redundancies, and socially responsible solutions. However, Frank Sell made it clear that layoffs remain a possibility as a last resort if the agreed targets are not met on time.
Furthermore, different contract durations apply to the individual plants, extending to 2029, 2030, 2031, or 2032. The agreements also contain so-called “blessing clauses.” Bosch can therefore request new negotiations if the economic situation deteriorates further. At the same time, the works council can also renegotiate if the environment improves significantly.
Plants lose jobs, closures are sealed
According to current information, the Stuttgart-Feuerbach, Waiblingen, Schwieberdingen, Bühl, Bühlertal, and Homburg locations in Saarland are particularly hard hit. In Feuerbach, the job cuts have at least been reduced. There, 2,500 jobs will now be eliminated instead of the originally planned 3,325.
Decisions have already been made at other locations. While the cuts in Bühl have been mitigated, the plant in neighboring Bühlertal will close earlier. The Waiblingen plant will also be permanently shut down, resulting in the loss of approximately 560 jobs. Back in February, Bosch also reached an agreement at another location, although around 1,000 jobs will still be cut there.
Billions in provisions weigh on the company
Bosch had already set aside around €2.7 billion for cost-cutting measures. As a result, profits fell noticeably in 2025. However, the full impact of the cuts will only become apparent in the financial figures in the coming years.
While the restructuring at Bosch is largely settled, it is not yet completely finished. The ongoing negotiations in Feuerbach demonstrate how tense the situation remains. At the same time, the renegotiation clauses make it clear that the job cuts could be intensified again in the event of a downturn in the economy.