Collective bargaining in the metalworking industry and matters at Volkswagen overlap. In the first case, the second meeting of the social partners failed to produce any results. IG Metall is demanding a 7% year-on-year pay rise. The Gesamtmetall federation, sitting on the employers’ side of the table, is offering a 3.6% increase over 27 months and in two stages (1.7% in July 2025 and 1.9% a year later). With no compromise and the legal social truce ending at midnight on Monday 28 October, a few
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As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.