Volkswagen’s Conflict With Labor Risks Dragging On Next Year (2)

Volkswagen AG’s stalemate with labor leaders looks increasingly likely to drag into 2025, denying Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume the fresh start he’s seeking to turn around Europe’s biggest carmaker.

Management started its fifth round of talks with the powerful IG Metall union on Monday, as the two sides remain deadlocked over how to cut costs at the namesake VW brand to make it more competitive.

“We’re very far from being able to reconcile the divergent positions,” Thorsten Gröger, lead negotiator for the workers, said ahead of the negotiations.

The messy restructuring has already thrown a wrench in the ...