Press Release No. 34/2017 IG Metall: Collective bargaining coverage is in the interest of the skilled trades

Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall warns against a trend away from collective bargaining in the skilled trades. “Only through collective bargaining agreements and employee participation can skilled trades businesses cope with digitalization and structural change,” explained Ralf Kutzner, executive board member of IG Metall, on Friday in Frankfurt ahead of Skilled Trades Day on September 16.

Kutzner called on associations and guilds to back up their commitment to collective bargaining—as it is often publicly described—with concrete action. “With good working conditions, regional collective bargaining agreements, employee participation, and continuing education and training, the skilled trades can better hold their own in the competition for qualified employees.”

The trade sector has lost much of its appeal due to the refusal of numerous industries to pay collectively bargained wages, the union representative said. Two-thirds of young journeymen and journeywomen leave for the manufacturing sector and other industries after completing their apprenticeships. “This leads to a self-inflicted shortage of skilled workers.” The strategy of gaining an advantage through low wages does not pay off. “The move away from collective bargaining agreements only leads to ruinous cutthroat competition. That is not in the interest of skilled trades businesses,” said Kutzner.