Labour leaders at German automaker Volkswagen (VW) demanded concrete details from company management on possible job cuts at the start of collective bargaining talks on Wednesday. VW earlier this month cancelled a long-standing job security deal with workers at the company and warned that it could no longer rule out mass layoffs or plant closures as part of an austerity plan at the auto brand.

By Christina Amann, Christoph Steitz and Matthias Williams HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) -Volkswagen flatly rejected union demands after the first round of bitterly contested talks ended without agreement on Wednesday,

German automaker Volkswagen rejected trade union demands for pay increases for German workers and continued to warn of deep cuts instead during initial collective bargaining talks on Wednesday. VW earlier this month cancelled a long-standing job security deal with workers and warned that it could no longer rule out mass layoffs or plant closures

Labour leaders at German automaker Volkswagen demanded concrete details from company management on possible job cuts at the start of collective bargaining talks on Wednesday. Several thousand VW employees protested in front of the building in Hanover where negotiations took place.

Volkswagen executives and trade unions will start discussions over pay on Wednesday amid automaker's plan to cut jobs and shut down some plants in Germany. The conditions within the company are intense due to talks of potential factory closures,