IG Metall is demanding five percent more money in the collective bargaining round

In times of crisis, IG Metall wants to go into the upcoming collective bargaining round with what it says are realistic demands. The aim is to maintain real wages for most employees - but the union wants to get a little more out of “boom companies”.

IG Metall is demanding five percent more money for the 3.7 million employees in the German metal and electrical industry. In addition, the union wants to enforce profit sharing for employees in “boom companies” in the collective bargaining round and negotiate on securing jobs and locations. According to the union, the new collective agreement should have a term of twelve months.

“We are approaching the negotiations with combative realism,” said IG Metall chairwoman Christiane Benner. "Instead of crisis rhetoric, attacks on social standards and doom and gloom, employees expect secure jobs, compensation for increased prices and a fair share of the companies' profits. We do not accept threats of relocation as a diversionary tactic from management failures."

The first negotiations with the employers' associations at regional level are planned from October 7th. Warning strikes are possible from November.

Collective bargaining round in times of job cuts

IG Metall had already made it clear two weeks ago that it wanted to secure at least real wages in the collective bargaining round for employees in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, metalworking and electrical engineering. In other words: After deducting the recent increase in inflation, employees should have more money in their pockets.

The collective bargaining round for Germany's largest industrial sector is marked by massive job cuts in the automotive industry, where there is also the threat of factory closures, for example at VW. On Monday, IG Metall mobilized around 175,000 car workers against cuts at a nationwide day of action.