Frankfurt am Main – Frankfurt am Main – A special analysis conducted by the Federal Statistical Office for IG Metall on the metal and electrical industries in conjunction with Equal Pay Day on March 7 shows that in companies in the metal and electrical industries (M+E) covered by collective bargaining agreements, the pay gap between women and men is significantly smaller. There, it stands at 10 percent, an improvement of one percentage point compared to the previous year. In companies not covered by collective bargaining agreements, however, it remains unchanged at 18 percent.
The pay figures also clearly demonstrate how much women benefit from collective bargaining agreements: Women covered by collective bargaining agreements in the M+E industry earn 10.55 euros more per hour than women not covered by such agreements. As recently as 2024, the figure was 9.65 euros.
This demonstrates two things: Collective bargaining agreements work. Not only for employees, who regularly earn more as a result, but especially for women, who thus have a significantly higher monthly income: In 2024, women in companies covered by collective bargaining agreements earned 1,523 euros more gross than in companies not covered by such agreements.
Christiane Benner, President of IG Metall: “Women in companies covered by collective bargaining agreements in the metal and electrical industries earn, on average, a four-digit sum more than those in companies not covered by such agreements. This shows that collective bargaining agreements work—and they have a lasting impact! After all, higher pay also means less poverty in old age, greater independence for women, and higher tax revenues for the common good!”
Christiane Benner sees a great need for action on gender equality policy by a new federal government: “After repeatedly seeing obstacles in recent years—primarily from one coalition partner—in almost all gender equality initiatives, a new government must act quickly here: The Collective Bargaining Compliance Act must be enacted. After all, collective bargaining coverage protects against wage discrimination. Furthermore, the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive is urgently needed. Parents and family caregivers must be supported through improvements to parental allowance, the “Family Start Period,” and wage replacement benefits for caregiving. We need a massive expansion of child care and the right to increase working hours. Germany has one of the highest rates of part-time work in Europe. We cannot be satisfied with this—especially not when, at the same time, skilled workers are still urgently needed.”
At the workplace level, IG Metall and works councils are taking action: systematic review of pay structures by the works council, the fight for collective bargaining coverage, and the expansion of flexible work-time models that enable parents in particular to better balance work and family life.
Further information and press photos of Christiane Benner
