Press Release No. 39/2014 IG Metall: Collective bargaining agreement for the West German textile and apparel industry secures participation...

Münster – IG Metall and employers in the West German textile and apparel industry reached a collective bargaining agreement early Thursday morning. For the months of January through May 2015, the approximately 100,000 employees in the industry will receive one-time payments of 60 euros each, which may be doubled, reduced, deferred, or canceled depending on job security arrangements agreed upon by the company and union representatives. Apprentice wages will increase by 30 euros for this period. Starting June 1, 2015, employees will receive a fixed monthly amount of 60 euros, which will be reflected in the pay scale; apprentices will receive 30 euros each. Starting June 1, 2016, wages and apprentice stipends will increase by 2.4 percent. The payment of the fixed amounts and the wage increase may be negotiated on a company-by-company basis by the collective bargaining parties. The collective bargaining agreement expires on January 31, 2017.

In addition to the agreed-upon real wage increase, the bargaining parties have agreed on a mandatory partial retirement scheme for employees in the textile and apparel industry through the end of 2016, under which up to 2 percent of a company’s workforce may take advantage of partial retirement. The employer will supplement the partial retirement pay by 475 euros.

“The outcome ensures fair participation for employees,” said IG Metall’s chief negotiator, Manfred Menningen, in his assessment of the collective bargaining agreement reached on Thursday in Münster. In addition, a collective bargaining agreement on partial retirement was reached that guarantees a substantial top-up payment, particularly for lower pay grades. “The successful nationwide warning strikes of the past few weeks, involving 12,000 strikers, have had an impact,” said the union representative.