Frankfurt am Main – Workers in the metal and electrical industries expect employers to address rising prices and the future of their companies during the fall collective bargaining negotiations. This is according to a nationwide survey conducted by IG Metall of 267,000 workers at 2,300 companies.
Respondents perceive the economic situation of their companies as varying widely: Half describe the situation at their workplace as good (31.7%) or very good (14.5%). One-third (32.2%) rate their own employer as “so-so.” One in five describe the situation as bad (16.9%) or very bad (4.7%). The positive economic outlook is driven by companies in the aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, and energy sectors. In contrast, employees in the automotive industry and the service sector take a more critical view of their companies’ performance.
The respondents’ greatest concerns are rising costs of living (68.9%) and healthcare (58.5%), followed by retirement security (58.1%). More than half of employees are concerned about the security of their own jobs (56.3%) and the future of their companies (56.7%).
Christiane Benner, President of IG Metall: “Workers have a keen sense of the most pressing issues in the country: good real wages, sustainable jobs, and social security. This is a clear mandate for employers, policymakers, and IG Metall as well. We want secure and sustainable jobs through production and value creation in Germany. In addition to sound collective bargaining policies, this requires committed industrial and social policies as well as good corporate governance.”
With an eye on their wallets and corporate profits, the majority of employees expect not only job security but also a moderate (47.8%) to substantial pay raise (35.0%). Given the overall solid economic situation, making sacrifices is not an option: Only one in six considers only a small (13.1%) or no pay raise (4.1%) to be appropriate.
IG Metall Collective Bargaining Director Nadine Boguslawski: “Employees are not experiencing a uniform crisis, but rather a situation with significant economic disparities. At the same time, their expectations regarding pay, job security, and social protection are high .” Boguslawski: “We are entering this collective bargaining round with confidence because we will take everything into account: from job security in companies facing crises to fair employee participation in company profits.”
Based on the survey results, IG Metall is now launching the debate on demands in the regional collective bargaining districts. The union’s executive board plans to adopt a concrete, nationwide set of collective bargaining demands on September 23. More than 3.7 million workers are employed in the metal and electrical industries nationwide.
