Metal and electrical industries
More warning strikes and negotiations among metal workers
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After two days of warning strikes, IG Metall has not had enough. The workers’ protests continue, even if the negotiations are slowly getting closer.
The collective bargaining parties in the metal and electrical industries have reached an agreement on some points in their third round of collective bargaining – at least in Bavaria. The warning strikes also continue in other tariff districts. According to the union, around 65,000 people in more than 350 companies took part for the second day in a row. Protests are planned for Thursday, which is a public holiday in many countries, especially in Baden-Württemberg at Daimler and Rolls Royce and again in the Mitte district (Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland).
Bavaria’s IG Metall boss: Still a long way from a breakthrough
The Bavarian IG Metall boss Horst Ott said a breakthrough was still a long way away, but “we have made progress on structural issues.” The negotiator of the employers’ association VBM, Angelique Renkhoff-Mücke, said: “I hope that we will find a solution in the next round.” The negotiators from the coastal collective bargaining district were also present at the negotiations in Munich.
But the talks were constructive, the tone was open, there was progress, said Renkhoff-Mücke: “We are slowly moving forward, step by step.” Further exploratory talks have been agreed for the next few days. “We feel the pressure to finish quickly.”
IG Metall’s main argument for significant wage increases is the lack of purchasing power of employees after years of high inflation. It is demanding seven percent more wages for the 3.9 million employees nationwide for a contract term of one year. After nine zero months, employers are offering a tariff increase of 1.7 percent from July 2025 and a further 1.9 percent from July 2026, with a contract term of 27 months.
“We’re on strike until we get a result.”
Ott said: “We are still far apart when it comes to money. I don’t see any success coming soon at the moment.” The union wants to continue the warning strikes indefinitely: “We are striking until we have a result.”
IG Metall continued to apply pressure during the negotiations with warning strikes by 2,100 employees in 19 Bavarian companies. There are rallies at ZF in Passau, Schneider Electric in Regensburg, Siemens in Cham and Luhe-Wildenau, Gutmann in Weißenburg and Magna in Markt Schwaben. The focus of the warning strikes today was the central tariff regions (Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland) and the coast.
Negotiations between the districts of Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Mitte
Negotiations in the collective bargaining districts of Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Mitte will follow on Thursday. Struggling automobile industry – flourishing arms industry Almost traditionally, the first look when choosing a pilot district is Baden-Württemberg – Bavaria was last in line in 2013.
But car manufacturers and their suppliers are struggling with declining sales and profits. In Bavaria and the Coast district, in addition to the automobile industry, the aerospace industry also plays a role. In addition, Bavaria has a well-run armaments industry and the electrical industry with the heavyweight Siemens.
The union and employers speak in the third round
The series of regional negotiations continues in three districts. The Mitte district wants to make an impression with a demonstration march from the Hessian state capital Wiesbaden across the Rhine to the negotiation location in Mainz. The tariff area also includes the crisis-ridden Saarland, where Ford and ZF want to cut many jobs. The union district is planning protests in 88 companies this Thursday. Collective bargaining heavyweights are coming together in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg, but no agreement is yet expected.
dpa
Source: Stern