Workers at nine Volkswagen car and component plants across Germany started two-hour strikes on Monday, bringing assembly lines to a halt as labour and management clash over the future of Europe's biggest carmaker.

Workers at nine of Volkswagen's care and component factories in Germany were on strike Monday amid a dispute over labor contract changes and factory closings.

KEY TAKEAWAYS Volkswagen workers across Germany began striking Monday over the automaker's plans to cut costs.The workers are pushing back on Volkswagen's plans to close factories and slash jobs and pay.