Politics & Society

Secure, Fair, and Self-Determined

Kelvion plans to relocate its profitable heat exchanger production in Wilchwitz (Thuringia) to the west. After nearly four weeks on strike, employees and IG Metall have reached a collective bargaining agreement that includes generous severance packages. A new investor intends to take over at least part of the operation.

Workers in the metalworking and agricultural machinery sectors in Lower Saxony and Bremen can look forward to a 2.5 percent pay raise and the option to convert pay into time off.

Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Electrical Trades in Berlin-Brandenburg: Wages will increase in two stages starting January 1, 2027. Apprentice wages will also be raised in two stages.

The collective bargaining agreement provides the approximately 30,000 employees in Baden-Württemberg with a compensation bonus and a pay increase reflected in the pay scale, effective February 2027.

Collective bargaining agreement in the Berlin-Brandenburg metalworking sector: Wages and apprenticeship stipends will increase starting in July. In addition, employees will receive a one-time payment and a new annual recreation allowance.

Automotive industry workers are resisting their corporate bosses’ fantasies of cost-cutting and offshoring. During the nationwide day of action, they will send a clear message: Competitiveness is not achieved through cost-cutting, but through investment.

How much money are apprentices entitled to? Apprenticeship pay can vary depending on the industry, region, and whether a collective bargaining agreement applies. One thing is certain: you’re better off with a collective bargaining agreement. Our FAQ on pay.

Are you having problems with your apprenticeship? Are you having trouble getting along with your instructor? Do you find learning difficult? Is your money barely enough to make ends meet? And what if I get sick? We answer frequently asked questions.

Apprentices and dual-track students can receive various forms of financial assistance. We provide tips on the vocational training allowance (BAB), BAföG, housing allowance, and child support—and we explain what you should keep in mind when working a part-time job.

Vocational training is considered a model of success. Yet a decline in apprenticeship openings, financial worries among many apprentices, and millions of young people without vocational qualifications show that not everything is running smoothly in the apprenticeship market. Five theses on the start of the 2026 apprenticeship cycle.

Cost-cutting measures, layoffs, plant closures: Across Germany, automakers and suppliers are delivering bad news: Employees have had enough. On September 21, IG Metall will organize all-day, nationwide actions and protests at German automotive sites.

Partial retirement is an important path to retirement. However, the federal government wants to abolish the so-called “block model” of partial retirement. Why this plan fails to address the needs of many workers—and what IG Metall is calling for instead.