Volkswagen workers have launched rolling two-hour strikes at nine plants across Germany to underscore their resistance to pay cuts and factory closures.

Volkswagen AG workers across Germany began striking Monday over the automaker's plans to cut costs. The German company is planning to slash jobs and pay and close factories, as it struggles with Chinese competition, high costs, and sluggish demand for electric vehicles (EVs).

Tens of thousands of Volkswagen workers will participate in warning strikes at plants across Germany on Monday, labor union IG Metall said, marking the worst walkouts at the carmaker’s domestic operations since 2018.