Metal and electrical industries
Metallurgists start their first warning strikes on the night shift
The warning strikes in the German metal and electrical industry began shortly after midnight. Demonstrations will take place in all regions, including a Volkswagen factory.
With protest actions on the night shift, IG Metall started the first wave of warning strikes in the German metal and electrical industry. The negotiations, which are scheduled to continue in the third round this Tuesday, are being overshadowed by the drastic savings plans at the car manufacturer VW. According to the works council, factory closures, mass layoffs and wage cuts are on the agenda of the VW board, which initially did not confirm the plans in detail.
There were demonstrations that night at the VW factory in Osnabrück, among other places. A spokesman for IG Metall Osnabrück said that 250 employees were on site. The new IG Metall collective bargaining officer Nadine Boguslawski spoke to the employees at the VW plant. The plant with around 2,500 employees, which is threatened with closure, is not covered by the VW company collective agreement, in which there is a peace obligation until the end of November.
IG Metall negotiator Thorsten Gröger spoke at Clarios in Hanover. According to a statement from the union, around 200 employees demonstrated there in a night action. “We are not conducting a conflict for the sake of a conflict. It is about protecting the legitimate interests of our members,” said Gröger.
Union demands 7 percent more money
IG Metall’s main argument for significant wage increases is the lack of purchasing power of employees after years of high inflation. In the negotiations, the union is demanding 7 percent more money within a year, while the metal employers offered 3.6 percent over a period of 27 months. The first stage of 1.7 percent is scheduled to take effect in July 2025. The companies point to weak production values and a lack of orders.
The third round of regional collective bargaining begins in Kiel and Hanover this Tuesday (October 29th). Nordmetall negotiator Lena Ströbele called on the union to reach a quick conclusion. A better economic situation cannot be “striked” for. Employers and trade unions have a responsibility to create a fair solution with long-term planning security for everyone involved.
IG Metall on collective bargaining rounds M+E 2024 Total metal on collective bargaining round M+E 2024
dpa
Source: Stern
