On Tuesday, the stringent austerity measures and layoffs announced by ZF Group, a prominent German automotive components manufacturer, ignited widespread protests throughout Germany. Over 12,000 employees took to the streets to voice their opposition to the board's decision to axe thousands of jobs and implement salary reductions. The workforce is demanding the preservation of their employment and rejecting a proposed 25% to 30% cut in annual compensation, which includes measures like reduced working hours and the elimination of bonuses. The layoffs are necessitated by the company's consecutive years of financial losses and mounting debt, with the intention to eliminate 14,000 positions in Germany by the end of 2028.