Volkswagen cuts hours at main Wolfsburg plant over parts shortage

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen is reducing work hours for employees at the German carmaker's main plant in Wolfsburg for three weeks in September due to a parts shortage caused by recent floods in Slovenia, a spokesperson for the company said on Monday.

Group spokesman Andreas Meurer said that the short-time work measures would be in place from Sept. 11-29.

In addition, there would be isolated shift cancellations at the carmaker's plant in Emden in northern Germany, added the spokesperson.

Flooding in Slovenia had paralysed the production of gear rims at a subcontractor, affecting vehicle manufacturing, according to the spokesperson.

A shortage of parts from a Slovenian supplier has also led Volkswagen to suspend production at its Autoeuropa factory in Portugal for nine weeks, between Sept. 11 and Nov. 12, the workers' commission said last week.

The German carmaker had warned last month that it would suffer production interruptions at some plants due to the floods in Slovenia disrupting supply chains.

(Reporting by Philipp Krach, Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Maria Sheahan)