Strikes in the German metal and electrical industry

dpatop - Employees of apt Extrusions GmbH stand in front of the company gate during a warning strike organized by IG Metall. Photo: Henning Kaiser/dpa

Workers belonging to one of Germany’s largest unions, IG Metall, started a series of so-called “warning” strikes in the metal and electrical industry.

Strikes began on Friday night. The union demanded an 8% wage increase.

Workers across selected plants ceased operations as soon as the mandated truce expired at midnight (2200 GMT Friday), according to local unionists.

In the state of North Rhine Westphalia alone, six factories were set to strike for a few hours each. At one site in the small town of Hagen, almost 150 workers gathered for a demonstration. About 100 to 110 workers went on strike in the town of Bielefeld.

Workers at a metalworking company, apt Extrusions, completely stopped work at one minute past midnight, according to one of IG Metall’s union secretaries, Kati Köhler.

An estimated 60 to 70 apt Extrusions employees responded to the call for a strike.

Further strike actions are planned across Germany. In the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, work was to be suspended for a limited period at the Kolbenschmidt automotive supplier in Neckarsulm.

IG Metall entered collective bargaining negotiations for the German metal and electrical industry in mid-July.

The union has demanded an 8% pay increase for 3.9 million staff members over the course of 12 months, in light of soaring inflation and strong company earnings.

In regional negotiations held so far, employers offered one-time tax-free payments of €3,000 ($2,990) each, as well as an unspecified increase in the wage structure over a period of 30 months.

 

 

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