IG Metall launches warning strikes in Germany — Der Spiegel

In Germany, the IG Metall trade union launched warning strikes in the metalworking and electrical industries overnight into Sunday. Immediately after the no-strike obligation expired at midnight, the night shift at, among others, tinplate manufacturer Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein in Andernach, Rhineland-Palatinate, temporarily stopped work. Around 300 workers gathered to protest outside the company gates, Der Spiegel reports.

The action also began overnight at the Munich site of mobile communications equipment supplier RF 360 Europe/Qualcomm. Next week, IG Metall plans to extend the protests nationwide.

Union demands

The union seeks to increase pressure in collective bargaining talks covering approximately 3.7 million workers. The temporary work stoppages affect the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, the electronics sector and metal production.

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IG Metall is demanding a 5% pay increase under a 12-month contract, as well as guarantees to preserve jobs and production sites. The union's chair, Christiane Benner, previously said she intended to hold large-scale warning strikes, as the employers' offer had caused confusion and outrage among workers.

Employers' offer

During the second round of negotiations, employers offered a one-off payment next year and a 1.3% wage increase from July 2028. They explained the below-inflation offer by citing the difficult economic situation and high costs facing German industry.

The exact scale and duration of the current strikes are not yet known. According to the employers' association Gesamtmetall, nearly 290,000 people took part in warning strikes at around 1,600 companies over 11 days during the 2024 collective bargaining campaign. IG Metall then reported more than 600,000 participants.