Survey of IG Metall: Metal works councils require higher investments

The works councils in the IG Metall industries require higher investments from their companies. In the regular union survey, less than a third (30 percent) of employee representatives sees that their company invests sufficiently in view of the challenges through digitization and climate -neutral production. This attitude in the automotive sector is particularly pronounced, where just every fifth works council (20 percent) considers investments sufficient, as the union reports.

The union chairman Christiane Benner sees the agreements in the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD as a planning basis for companies that should now act. Important points are the projects to reduce energy costs for companies, to promote electromobility and for better investment conditions. Benner also relies on the special fund for infrastructure.

The company would have to take responsibility for future -proof business models, investments and secure jobs, the trade unionist warns. “We see the seriousness of the situation. But we also see that future strategies are missing in numerous companies and that necessary investments are not made. Only calling less bureaucracy and lower labor costs is neither a strategy nor a solution.”

In total, works councils from 2,321 companies with more than one million employees took part in the semi -annual survey. 72 percent came from the metal and electrical area. Crafts, steel and IT services are represented. The survey took place at the end of February and thus before the coalition negotiations were completed.