Collective bargaining negotiations in the chemical industry generally take place without strikes. Nevertheless, there is a hard fight for positions. Before the start, the positions of the collective bargaining partners are still far apart.
For the approximately 585,000 employees in the chemical industry in Teistungen, Thuringia, salaries and working conditions are important today. The IG Mining Chemical Energy (IG BCE) and the Federal Chemical Employers Association (BAVC) will meet there until Wednesday for the first nationwide round of negotiations on the new industry collective agreement.
The union is entering the negotiations with a demand for 7 percent more money, while the employers first want to talk about what they see as the poor economic situation of the companies.
The demand is neither crisis-appropriate nor financeable, said BAVC managing director Klaus-Peter Stiller. “We still have a lot of catching up to do until we have reached the level before the start of the war in Ukraine. In addition, chemical workers only received 3.25 percent more money at the beginning of the year. They will actually earn more money in 2024 without any further wage increases have a bag.”
Union: Blockade attitude is poison for the industry
The IG BCE negotiator, Oliver Heinrich, accuses the employers of blocking the deal. This is poison for the attractiveness of the industry. In addition to salary increases, the union also wants to establish collective agreements for advantages for its own members compared to other employees. Measurable benefits could therefore be more free time, more money or better social or health security for union members.
A conclusion is not expected for these widely separated positions. Another nationwide round of negotiations has already been scheduled for the beginning of June in Wiesbaden. The federal negotiations were preceded by discussions in the nine collective bargaining regions, which in the end usually adopt the agreements at the federal level.
Source: Stern
