Frankfurt am Main – Following the federal election, IG Metall is urging the swift formation of a government. From the union’s perspective, there is significant time pressure to provide workers and the economy—particularly the industrial sector—with a clear outlook for the coming months. Constructive and goal-oriented exploratory talks and coalition negotiations are a crucial prerequisite for this.
Christiane Benner, President of IG Metall, emphasizes the urgency of taking action: “We’ve run out of time. Industry and workers cannot wait months for clear prospects. They need concrete commitments as soon as possible. Confidence can only be restored if the democratic parties now swiftly devote themselves to coalition negotiations and forming a government.”
From IG Metall’s perspective, highly competitive energy costs, the ramp-up of electric mobility, and comprehensive investments in education, roads, railways, and digitalization must be at the center of a new federal government’s agenda.
Christiane Benner: “Many industrial companies—especially those in energy-intensive sectors and the supplier industry—are in dire straits. Workers see this as a threat to their jobs and, consequently, to their life plans, their families, and the regions where they live. This uncertainty must be countered through targeted measures and programs, such as capped electricity prices for industry and consumers and the stabilization of the automotive sector—including through purchase incentives and support for battery technology. We can do this. Germany can once again make history with growth. However, this requires an active government that shapes these changes—including through an active labor market policy to create opportunities and meet the demand for skilled workers.”
From the union’s perspective, substantial investment in infrastructure is also essential. A federal investment package spanning ten years, totaling at least 600 billion euros for public infrastructure, plus additional public support of approximately 30 billion euros over the next five years to decarbonize industry, is a minimum requirement for this.
The union’s president emphasized the enormous task now facing a new government: “Elected officials have a huge responsibility to regain people’s trust in politics. And to instill confidence in the future. To show that our democracy is the better answer. This also includes respect for the voices of workers. Fair change is only possible if we work together. A fresh start is also an opportunity to show what Germany and Europe are capable of.”
With its “Metal Demands,” IG Metall provides an overview of the union’s most important goals and demands, which should also be treated as priorities in the coalition negotiations. On March 15, the union is calling on its members and the interested public to participate in a day of action under the slogan “My Workplace. Our Industrial Nation. Our Future!” in Hanover, Stuttgart, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Leipzig.
