Most of the 2,500 jobs in product development and up to 700 in administrative roles the automaker is hoping to slash are located in Germany.

IG Metall, the dominant metal workers’ union, which represents 2.2 million members in the metal, electrical, iron, steel and automotive industries, said other reductions could fall at sites in Belgium and the United Kingdom.

In the report, the workers at the Cologne site, which employs about 14,000 people, were informed of the plans on Monday.

“If negotiations between the works council and management in coming weeks do not ensure the future of workers, we will join the process,” IG Metall said. “We will not hold back from measures that could seriously impact the company, not just in Germany but Europe-wide.”