Press Release No. 02/2017 IG Metall Warns of Escalation in the Textile Industry and Calls for a Negotiable Offer

Frankfurt am Main – Ahead of the third round of collective bargaining for the West German textile and apparel industry on Wednesday, February 15, IG Metall has demanded a better offer from employers. “It is up to the employers whether the conflict escalates further or whether we can reach a collective bargaining agreement. The warning strikes of the past few days have clearly shown that employees are ready to stand up for their demands. They will not be fobbed off with token raises,” said IG Metall’s chief negotiator, Manfred Menningen, on Monday in Frankfurt.

IG Metall is demanding a 4.5 percent wage increase and improvements to the partial retirement program. Employers have offered four months of no raises, followed by increases of 1.4 percent and 1.5 percent in two steps over a 28-month period. They reject any improvement to the partial retirement program.

“If employers do not budge, we will increase the pressure on companies with further warning strikes,” Menningen announced. Since the end of the peace obligation on February 1, more than 10,000 employees from over 100 companies have underscored their demand for a significant pay increase through work stoppages.

The third round of collective bargaining for the approximately 100,000 employees in the West German textile industry will take place on February 15 in Saarlouis.

Note to editors:
Collective bargaining negotiations will begin on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at 1:30 p.m., at Victor’s Residenz-Hotel Saarlouis, Bahnhofsallee 4, 66740 Saarlouis.

Prior to that—starting at 11:45 a.m.—a demonstration and rally will take place in front of the negotiation venue with employees from nearby textile factories.

Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall, will address the rally participants.