IG Metall is planning all-day warning strikes in hundreds of companies

In the collective bargaining dispute in the German metal and electrical industry, all-day warning strikes are imminent in hundreds of companies. The IG Metall board decided this in order to increase the pressure in the collective bargaining negotiations, which had stalled after three rounds. It has not yet been announced which companies will be on strike and when.

"The employers have touched concrete and crossed the line with additional demands in the negotiations in Düsseldorf. It amounts to a tough conflict," explained union leader Christiane Benner. “Anyone who wants to reduce collective bargaining standards, come around the corner with a negative offer, restrict co-determination rights and shift decisions from the collective agreements to the individual companies is attacking the foundations of collective bargaining partnership.”

Total Metal President Udo Dinglreiter calls the escalation “completely unnecessary and harmful”. He explained: "We have the same goal: to make investments profitable and therefore possible again. We need a new operational instrument to secure investments, innovations, locations and employment. But this model for saving jobs and locations must be developed at the negotiating table and is certainly not the result of daily strikes."

Used for the first time in eight years

In Baden-Württemberg, IG Metall has announced that it will begin voting on warning strikes in designated companies on Friday. The district of Bavaria no longer negotiates with employers before the all-day strikes.

In the collective bargaining dispute, IG Metall is demanding five percent more money for the approximately 3.7 million employees within a year. In addition, jobs and locations should be secured. Employers have offered a revocable one-off payment and 1.3 percent more for a much longer term. After three rounds of negotiations, no solution has emerged.

IG Metall only used the instrument of all-day warning strikes once in 2018. At that time, around 500,000 people in 250 companies took part. In the current year, the board also wants to determine a three-digit number of companies that should go on strike. Trade unionists can apply for strike pay for their participation.