After termination of collective bargaining with IG Metall, employers warn against negative consequences of planned warning strikes in metal and electrical industries. "Huge losses arise because all companies are affected in long supply chains," said chief executive officer of Association of Total Metal, Oliver Zander. "That's why 24-hour strikes are irresponsible and endanger jobs." The work-downs are also "completely unnecessary and unlawful, because required part is lohnausgleich discriminatory and unlawful". Therefore, IG Metall had to pay for damage to strikes, said Zander.

The IG-Metall chairman Jörg Hofmann had announced on weekend that nationwide members would be called in more than 250 large and small establishments for 24-hour warning strikes from Wednesday to Friday. Such warning strikes could hit car manufacturers in particular. The employers ' Association of Total Metal had announced to initiate legal action. In addition to higher salaries, IG Metall demands possibility of reducing weekly working time to 28 hours at times. Certain groups such as shift workers, carers or parents of small children should receive partial compensation for lost wages, which employers have so far rejected.

"We still want a compromise that is viable for both sides," said Zander. Employers are interested in a solution to conflict. It is also important, however, that companies should have enough working hours in future in order to be able to produce. The required part of Lohnausgleich is "discriminatory and unlawful". The strikes are refore "completely unnecessary and unlawful".

The employer-oriented Institute of German Economy (IW Cologne) also warned against millions of heavy sales losses from strikes. If re were an average of 200 employees in 250 selected companies, one had to reckon with around 62 million euros in sales per day, said Hagen Lesch, head of IW section on tariff policy and industrial relations. In case IG Metall specifically strikes larger companies, loss of revenue of 100,000 participants increases to about 125 million euros.

IG Metall defends abortion of negotiations

On weekend, collective bargaining in metal and electrical industry was broken down in fifth round in pilot district of Baden-Württemberg. IG Metall, which demands a Lohnplus of six percent, defended this step. "The last offer of employers was in total volume just at level of last financial statements," said Knut Giesler, NRW manager of trade union. This is far too little in view of significantly better economic situation in sector. "In addition, employers want to limit additions to contract for reduction of working hours due to care, parenting and shift work. Nor was this acceptable to us in any way. "

IG-Metall members are currently voting on planned warning strikes in selected nationwide around 250 companies. The precondition for strikes is that a simple majority agrees. Workers are expected to work for up to 24 hours a week from Wednesday to Friday, including Fridays. An automatic continuation of warning strikes next week was not planned at first, a union spokesperson shared. Instead, offices already prepared a ballot for an open-ended land strike in one or more tariff areas.

Date Of Update: 30 January 2018, 12:03