Frankfurt am Main – The IG Metall union is calling on companies and policymakers to accelerate the pace of socio-ecological transformation significantly in 2023. This is necessary to secure a skilled workforce and employment in Germany. “The promise of a social and ecological transformation requires cooperation from everyone: companies, policymakers, and unions. 2023 must become the year of fair transition,” said Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall. “A fair transition can only succeed with the workers, not against them.” To achieve this, he said, more participation, more co-determination, and greater adherence to collective bargaining agreements are needed.
Responses to a Changing World of Work Are Needed
“We must shape the transformation in such a way that the potential of today’s skilled workers in companies is not lost. Despite the sometimes dramatic changes in job roles, we need secure prospects in the working world of tomorrow,” Hofmann demanded. For the industrial transformation to succeed, tens of thousands of additional new and qualified workers are needed—for example, for the expansion of renewable energy, energy-efficient building retrofits, and the development of digital traffic management systems. If the core industrial sectors are to drive this transformation, they, too, need skilled workers capable of meeting new demands.
“We need real momentum in this transformation, not hesitant action dictated by the budget,” said Hofmann. In particular, new labor market policy tools must provide workers with genuine opportunities to earn new, professionally qualifying credentials. “From mechanics to heating installers, from engine developers to software developers, from assembly line workers to high-voltage assembly technicians: This requires better and longer part-time training programs and more training grants than the federal government is currently planning,” said Hofmann.
Modernized Co-determination and Active Industrial Policy
Christiane Benner, Second Chair of IG Metall, called for better preparation of high school graduates for vocational training: “It’s not enough for employers to complain about a shortage of skilled workers while doing too little themselves to address it. Companies must adapt their hiring policies.” She added that the structural discrimination against students from secondary schools must finally come to an end.
In light of changing working conditions driven by digitalization, remote work, and artificial intelligence, Benner called for modernized worker participation. IG Metall’s goal, she said, is to shape the future of work together with employees, both on the assembly line and in the office. Benner: “Digital technology and unions naturally go hand in hand. We need a digital right of access for unions—not a hidden link on the intranet.” IG Metall’s key to success is employee participation.
Jürgen Kerner, a member of the IG Metall Executive Board responsible for industry coordination, announced an “Industrial Electricity Price Action Day” in the steel industry for March 9: “In energy-intensive industries, energy prices are putting countless jobs at risk. Germany must quickly introduce a cap on industrial electricity prices.” In addition to the transition of steel production to green hydrogen, companies across all sectors continue to grapple with material shortages for production, particularly in microelectronics. This requires a shift in corporate strategies: “Cost minimization no longer dominates; instead, security of supply, resilience, and sustainability are what matter. We will be keeping a close eye on companies,” said Kerner.
Strong Increase in IG Metall Membership
IG Metall itself has emerged stronger from the crisis years. With 117,000 new members, the union’s membership growth in 2022 was the highest it has been since 2018. “In turbulent times, unions provide the necessary foundation for stability and security,” said IG Metall President Hofmann, referring to the union’s successes in securing relief measures through its efforts to cap electricity and gas prices, provide payments for retirees and students, and secure wage increases—for example, in the key metal and electrical industries. “Through our collective bargaining policy and our efforts to ease the financial burden on people, we have safeguarded the purchasing power of many households and stabilized the economy,” said Hofmann.
IG Metall saw particularly strong growth among white-collar workers: “Wherever jobs are created and we shape the future, we grow stronger and stronger,” said Christiane Benner, Second Chair of IG Metall.
IG Metall’s membership dues in 2022 totaled 596 million euros, slightly above the previous year’s figure. “The consequences of the pandemic and Russia’s war pose major challenges for our work as well. But no political action, no strike, will fail for lack of funds,” said IG Metall Chief Treasurer Jürgen Kerner.
Background Information on the 2023 Annual Press Conference
Statement by Jörg Hofmann
Statement by Christiane Benner
Statement by Jürgen Kerner
