Multitudes of employees in Germany's chemical sector engage in work stoppages, issuing alerts.
Prior to the third nationwide wage negotiation for the chemical sector in Germany, it appears that numerous workers have decided to go on a warning strike, as suggested by union declarations. A rally took place at the BASF chemical facility in Ludwigshafen, where Oliver Heinrich, the representative for IGBCE-mining, chemistry, energy union, made remarks about sending a powerful message for the impending discussions set to commence the following week.
Union reports estimate that around 5000 people gathered at the Rhineland-Palatinate chemical hub for this rally. Demonstrations also occurred at chemical sites in Leverkusen, Dormagen, Uerdingen, and Wuppertal in North Rhine-Westphalia, as indicated by IGBCE statements on Wednesday.
Employees of the pharmaceutical company Merck in Darmstadt were instructed to go on strike on Monday. Strikes also occurred on Tuesday at Hanau's Evonik chemicals and Continental tire and supplier facilities in Hannover.
The third round of federal-level negotiations is scheduled for June 26 and 27 in Bad Breisig, close to Bonn. This is the final chance to reach an agreement before the peace obligation expires on June 30.
The IG Bergbau Chemie Energie (IG BCE) rationalizes its demand for a 7% wage increase due to the erosion of buying power for employees as a result of inflation and the competitive chemistry market. The union also plans to establish regulations for the first time in a large-scale collective bargaining agreement that would primarily benefit union members, offering perks such as more leisure time, increased financial compensation, or enhanced social and health security for union members.
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The proposed 7% wage increase for employees in Germany's chemical sector is based on the erosion of buying power due to inflation and the competitive chemical market. Due to the upcoming nationwide wage negotiation, the union IGBCE has encouraged its members in various chemical sites like Ludwigshafen, Leverkusen, Dormagen, Uerdingen, and Wuppertal to participate in warning strikes. As a result of these actions, several companies such as Merck in Darmstadt and Evonik in Hanau have experienced strikes, potentially impacting their operations and financial situation.
