German unions launch wave of strikes over cost-of-living pressures
Summary
IG Metall, Germany’s largest union, began strikes on Monday in a wage dispute affecting about 3.7 million workers in metal and electrical engineering. The union seeks a 5 percent pay rise and job protections, while employers have offered a delayed one-time payment and a later wage increase; strikes are expected to continue through the week.Key Facts
- The strikes have affected major manufacturers including Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Tata Steel.
- IG Metall is seeking higher wages, protections for jobs and production sites, and profit-sharing in strong-performing sectors.
- Employers offered a one-time payment equal to 1 percent of pay in July 2027 and a 1.3 percent wage increase from July 2028.
- The employers’ offer would let companies facing financial difficulties withhold the one-time payment.
- IG Metall rejected the offer, saying it would reduce workers’ pay in real terms, and called for expanded industrial action.
- The union plans to publish strike participation figures on Friday.
- More than 100,000 workers took part on peak days during the previous bargaining round in 2024.
- Thousands rallied in Berlin and more than 30 other German cities on Saturday amid wider European protests over living costs and workplace conditions.
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