Volkswagen workers in Germany to strike over plan to cut jobs and pay

Employees take action over plans to axe at least three plants in first domestic closures in company's 87-year history

Workers at Volkswagen factories in Germany will strike from Monday over the carmaker's plans to lay off thousands of people, cut pay and close plants for the first time in its home country.

Announcing that warning strikes", which usually last a few hours, will begin at all VW plants, Thorsten Groger, the union IG Metall's lead negotiator with VW, said: If need be, it will be the toughest collective bargaining battle Volkswagen has ever seen."