Germany: management at IG Metall demands a wage rise of up to 5.5% over 12 months

Despite a backdrop of slowing growth in the German economy management at Germany’s biggest union IG Metall announced on Tuesday November 11 in Frankfurt that it will seek a wage rise of up to 5.5% for its 3.7 million workers in the metals and engineering sector during collective negotiations due to start in January. As well as the wage rise the union is also demanding improvements in access to early retirement and also the inclusion in collective agreements of the ‘right to job-related training on a part-time basis’. Current agreements reach their term on December 31 2014.
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5.5% pay rise over 12 months. As usual, management at IG Metall used the tried and trusted procedure of basing the national union claim for a wage rise of up to 5.5% over 12 months on the seven regional federation unions’ separate claims that were presented on November. The national wage claim will now be further discussed by the separate federations and then be formally approved on November 27. No changes to the national claim are expected between now and then. Negotiations starting in Januar

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