DIG Metall wants to push through wage increases of between 7 and 8 percent for the 3.9 million employees in the metal and electrical industry. The union board recommended this demand to the collective bargaining districts for the negotiations with employers, which are expected to begin in September, said IG Metall boss Jörg Hofmann on Monday.
From the point of view of the union, after the recent Corona agreements, given the good order situation of many companies and high profits, it is time for wages and salaries to be permanently increased. However, the tariff policy cannot compensate for the high inflation and rapidly rising prices for gas and electricity. This requires a further relief package from the federal government.
In its recommendation, IG Metall bases its recommendation on inflation and productivity development and, in view of the high profits of large car companies such as BMW and Mercedes, adds a redistribution component. The new collective agreement is to run for twelve months. The board of directors wants to decide on the demand for further discussions in the collective bargaining districts on July 11th.
Last year there was a Corona bonus
The agreement negotiated with employers in North Rhine-Westphalia last year provided for a corona bonus of 500 euros and an annual “transformation money”. This should be paid in February 2022 in the amount of 18.4 percent of a monthly salary. From 2023 it will rise to 27.6 percent and can also be used to reduce working hours. The collective agreement expires at the end of September. The peace obligation ends on October 28.
“The company is doing well. But the employees are not doing well when they look at supermarket and energy bills,” said Hofmann. Unlike companies, employees could not pass on increased prices. And in view of the earnings situation of the companies, a decent increase is required.
In the industry, the range of orders is at a record level. “After four years, the employees have earned a decent increase in their pay scales,” said Hofmann. The last table-effective increase in fees took place in April 2018.
