On 04 February, the IG Metall trade union gave the green light for sector negotiations to commence, even though the current agreement runs until 31 March 2020. Thus 20 February is the date set for consultations to commence between the regional social partners. The announcement comes after the metallurgy sector’s major regional employers’ federations welcomed proposals by the trade union to quickly negotiate a set of measures that should help companies deal with potentially perilous structural disruption. Although the trade union position requiring companies to put a stay on employment terminations during the negotiations period remains, it now appears to be open to negotiation itself.
The metallurgy sector’s social partners have agreed to quickly negotiate a ‘package’ of measures for the future (Zukunftspaket), that is able to offer a number of tools as well as some margin for maneuver to companies in the sector that are affected at various levels by the ongoing effects of both digital and electric transition. On 24 January, IG Metall surprisingly (c.f. article No. 11611) suggested proceeding with early collective negotiations, not putting forward a fixed salary target, and
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