Around 175,000 auto industry workers protested across #Germany against layoffs and the threat of plant closures. The IG Metall trade union organized approximately 280 rallies outside the offices of major companies, including Mercedes-Benz in Sindelfingen, where 20,000 people gathered. IG Metall CEO Christiane Benner stated that employees should not be required to pay for the #crisis and opposed the abolition of the 35-hour workweek.