Former VW Union Leader Begins Serving Sentence

It seems that if you are meant to be a leader, you will become one, despite poor education, but chances you will maintain your important position are rather small. Klaus Volkert, a former shop floor worker rose to become head of its works council between 1990 and 2005 and was regarded as one of VW's most powerful figures.

Unfortunately the former head of Volkswagen's works council just started his jail conviction of 33-months. He was accused and found guilty of using his labour post to obtain sex and bribes, according to German press reports today.

At first, the investigators thought Volkert was only getting bribes from potential suppliers and that he created a dummy company to secure contracts in India, Angola and other nations, but apparently, you can add prostitutes to all of that. Volkswagen found out in 2005 that they were paying for Volkert’s sex parties.

Volkert was also accused and found guilty of giving 400,000 Euros to his mistress in Brazil for which the woman did not provide any services for Volkswagen. He and his girlfriend also received money for travel, hotels, shopping and other non-business-related activities.

As you might imagine, the trial highlighted the close relationship between the management and Volkswagen’s union leaders, as they are ready to go very far to keep the union happy.

As he has already exhausted all the legal appeals he was entitled to, Klaus Volkert has no other alternatives but to pay for his mistakes from behind bars.