Negotiation - Before collective bargaining round: East German steelworkers on warning strike
IG Metall has extended its warning strikes in the wage dispute in the East German steel industry ahead of the next round of negotiations. According to the union, more than 1,300 employees walked off the job at various sites on Thursday. Among others, 850 employees went on a four-hour warning strike at ArcelorMittal in Eisenhüttenstadt, 250 employees went on strike at the Mannesmannröhren plant in Zeithain and at Schmiedewerke Gröditz, and 200 employees went on strike at Ilsenburger Grobblech and VPS.
IG Metall chief negotiator Dirk Schulze accused the employers of refusing to offer employees adequate compensation for the sharp price increases in the form of a significant pay rise: "There are also no signs of any substantial progress on the reduction in working hours at the negotiating table."
IG Metall is demanding a pay rise of 8.5 percent for twelve months. According to the union, the employers are offering 3.5 percent more for a term of 19 months as well as a one-off payment of 1,000 euros to compensate for inflation. According to IG Metall, the negotiations made little progress on the union's demand for a reduction in working hours to 32 hours per week.
The steel employers' association described IG Metall 's demands as "completely excessive". "IG Metall's attitude of measuring the employers' financial offers solely against its own exaggerated expectations and not against the financial possibilities of the companies in the face of an impending economic crisis is completely irresponsible," said Managing Director Gerhard Erdmann.
Negotiations for the north-west German steel industry will continue this Friday. The next negotiation date for the eastern German steel industry is scheduled for next Monday.
IG Metall statement
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- The metal collective bargaining conflict in the German steel industry has led ArcelorMittal to face a round of negotiations with IG Metall, with both parties having different views on wage increases and working hours.
- Dirk Schulze, the chief negotiator for IG Metall, expressed his concerns during the collective bargaining round, stating that employers are not offering adequate compensation for rising prices, and no significant progress has been made on reducing working hours to 32 hours per week.
- The steel employers' association criticized IG Metall's demands, labeling them as "completely excessive" and arguing that measuring employers' financial offers against the union's expectations without considering the companies' financial capabilities during an economic crisis is irresponsible.
- As a part of the ongoing collective bargaining conflict, the steelworkers in Eisenhüttenstadt, represented by IG Metall, went on a warning strike, joining over 1,300 employees from various sites who walked off their jobs in a show of solidarity.
- The German steel industry is not only dealing with internal issues, as Germany's steel industry faces increasing pressure from tariffs imposed by the United States, which is negatively affecting the sector's profitability and competitiveness.
- Despite the ongoing collective bargaining conflict and the strike actions, negotiations for the north-west German steel industry will continue this Friday, while the next negotiation date for the eastern German steel industry is scheduled for next Monday.
- The Steel Union IG Metall will continue advocating for fair wages, working hours reductions, and sufficient compensation for price increases, calling for a collaborative approach with the employers to find sustainable solutions for the German steel industry and its workers.
Source: www.stern.de
