German car and truck makers are cutting working hours, extending normal year-end holidays and shutting down factories to slow output at a time of slumping demand.

Measures announced so far include:

MAN
Shutting three German truck plants from Dec. 12 to Jan. 9 to clear out overtime accumulated by around 14,000 full-time staff. Normally it takes two weeks off for Christmas. It says it will probably apply this month for shorter working hours.

DAIMLER
Discussing cutting the working week to below 30 hours for around 50,000 staff at four German plants from the start of January through April.

BMW
Suspended production at its factory in Leipzig for a week last month and is operating only one shift a day there. The company plans to cut 400 further temporary workers in Leipzig, in addition to previously announced plans to cut 8,100 full-time jobs around the world. It closed two other plants during Bavarian autumn holidays from Nov 3-7.

VOLKSWAGEN
Considering suspending production at its main Wolfsburg plant from Dec. 18 to Jan. 11. Its luxury brand Audi is considering similar measures.

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Tags : German Production