Frankfurt am Main – In light of the tense economic situation, sluggish progress in transformation, and political discord at the federal and state levels, IG Metall has presented an eleven-point program: For a modern, innovative, and equitable industrial nation. The program was developed in collaboration with the chairs of the general and corporate works councils of major companies across all industrial sectors. Across industry boundaries and corporate divisions, they are calling on employers and policymakers to make massive investments, improve framework conditions, and make a clear commitment to Germany as an industrial hub.
“The works councils know the situation in the companies very well—both the major challenges and the often questionable solutions proposed by management. Their clear message: The situation is serious, there is a lot at stake, and decisive action is needed now,” said IG Metall President Christiane Benner during a meeting with more than 40 general and group works council chairs in Frankfurt am Main. “But one thing is also clear: Doomsday scenarios don’t help, nor do the same old calls for greater flexibility and a smaller welfare state. We are in the midst of a profound transformation. As IG Metall, we will do everything in our power to ensure that this transformation becomes a new beginning for good and secure jobs.”
Jürgen Kerner, Second Chair, is urging decision-makers in business and politics to pick up the pace: “The problems have been identified; the solutions are on the table. Politicians—both the government and the opposition—must now show how they intend to finance and support the investments needed for the once-in-a-century transformation of our industry toward climate-neutral production and economic practices.” Employers, too, must change their mindset: “Job cuts and relocations are not viable long-term strategies. We need courage, clear strategies, and local investments, as well as a pact to secure our locations. We at IG Metall are ready to do this.”
In its eleven-point program, IG Metall calls on both the private sector and the public sector to increase investment in public infrastructure and industrial transformation, to maintain a reliable course toward the mobility transition, and to establish an industrial electricity rate for energy-intensive industries. However, the debt brake stands in the way of the necessary investments, subsidies, and tax relief. A reform is therefore long overdue. IG Metall supports the call to introduce the so-called “golden rule,” which would exempt investments from the debt brake. The limit on new borrowing should also be raised from 0.35 to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product. According to the paper, this alone would create additional leeway of about 47 billion euros per year. A special fund for the transformation is also conceivable.
IG Metall further advocates for speeding up planning and approval procedures: through adequate staffing in government agencies, the digitization and modernization of the administration, and the elimination of duplicate and multiple reviews. “But anyone who, under the appealing slogan of ‘reducing bureaucracy,’ seeks to undermine the Working Hours Act or suspend the Supply Chain Act will face our resolute resistance!” the paper continues.
Both the comprehensive restructuring of industry and short-term economic stimulus must be socially responsible; government support must be tied to rules such as collective bargaining coverage and agreements to secure jobs and business locations, IG Metall emphasizes in its program, while lamenting a imbalance in the current debate: “While we are calling for investments in our country’s future, parties such as the FDP—most recently—are pushing for austerity measures, drastic social cuts, or longer working hours. We will accept neither the abolition of the full pension after 45 years of insurance contributions nor a three-year freeze on all new social benefits. It is fair for those with greater means to shoulder more in challenging times. Specifically: Top earners and the ultra-wealthy must contribute their fair share. Only through a fair distribution of the burden can we strengthen our democracy.”
The program was developed and discussed during a conference of the chairpersons of the general and group works councils of major industrial companies, including Airbus, BMW, Bosch, Daimler, Ford, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Infineon, Liebherr, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Siemens, Thyssenkrupp, Volkswagen, and others. All major industrial sectors within IG Metall’s jurisdiction were represented, including the automotive industry, IT, aerospace, mechanical engineering, the electrical industry, rail vehicle manufacturing, and steel.
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For IG Metall’s complete 11-point program
