Germany: IG-Metall sets employment as its top priority for the coming collective negotiations in the metal sector

New situation calls for new negotiations. Traditionally, metalworking and technical engineering, two key sectors for the German industry with about 3.45 million employees, open bargaining fire. Usually, ritual conflict, a wage claim from the IG-Metall and a counteroffer from employers come before. However, this year, things could be different because, since early December, the seven regional managements of the IG-Metall have been bargaining with employers’ organizations for new instruments to maintain employment. Indeed, the social partners’ evaluation of the seriousness of the crisis is quite identical. Thus, at a press conference on January 21, Martin Kannegiesser, leader of the Gesamtmetall employers’ organization, warned that, in spite of recovery signs, 2010 could be even worse than 2009 for many businesses. Indeed, in 2009, they made a lot of efforts to maintain their workforce, which led to a “German employment miracle.” But this miracle had a price: drastic drop in using production capacities, productivity dropping, businesses weakened…. According to Mr. Kannegiesser, these businesses can’t absorb additional costs now. On January 25, the President of the IG-Metall warned that nearly 700,000 jobs would be threatened by 2012 in the metal sector without any “combined” and “quick” action from the government, businesses and unions. “This is why we didn’t wait for the end of collective agreements in April to start bargaining with employers” an IG-Metall spokesman told Planet Labor.