Hamburg/Frankfurt am Main – A collective bargaining agreement has been reached for workers in the metal and electrical industries: They can expect higher wages, more and better options to choose between time off and pay, and significantly higher apprenticeship wages. The IG Metall districts of Küste and Bavaria reached this agreement early Tuesday morning after 18 hours of negotiations with employers. For the first time in IG Metall’s history, two districts jointly achieved a pilot agreement as a collective bargaining tandem for the 3.9 million employees in the metal and electrical industries. Christiane Benner, First Chair of IG Metall: “We succeeded in achieving a solid outcome for employees despite difficult conditions. We are particularly pleased with the excellent outcome for apprentices.”
Workers’ wages will increase: Following a one-time payment of 600 euros effective February 1, 2025, permanent wage increases of 2.0 percent starting April 1, 2025, and an additional 3.1 percent starting April 1, 2026, have been secured. “This provides security for employees,” said Benner. In addition, IG Metall secured a social component by increasing the annual “Collective Bargaining Supplement” (T-ZUG B) from the current level of around 630 euros to 900 euros starting in February 2026. Employees in lower pay grades will benefit more from this increase.
For the 230,000 apprentices in the industry, IG Metall secured a permanent increase in compensation of 140 euros. In addition, the social partners agreed in a joint statement to promote democracy among young people.
Nadine Boguslawski, IG Metall’s executive board member responsible for collective bargaining: “The collective bargaining agreement secures wages, boosts the domestic economy, and keeps the industry attractive to current and future skilled workers.” Deviations and adjustments in the event of economic difficulties are only possible if a company’s net return on sales falls below 2.3 percent. “The collective bargaining agreement is precisely tailored. Collective bargaining coverage secures the future of companies and employees,” said Boguslawski.
Union leader Benner emphasized the effectiveness of the collective bargaining partnership: “Social partnership is the most important factor for stability for companies and employees in uncertain times. We find solutions together.” Benner called on policymakers to demonstrate their ability to act and not to waste any time: “Collective bargaining can achieve a great deal—we’ve shown that. The structural problems we currently face must be solved by policymakers. We need lower energy prices now, especially for energy-intensive companies. We need measures now to ramp up electric mobility, investments in infrastructure, and thus in our future.”
In a joint statement, IG Metall and the employers’ association Gesamtmetall are calling on policymakers to set the right course as quickly as possible. The structural problems are making it more challenging to secure locations and jobs, as well as to develop new employment prospects within companies, the industry, and the region.
With the newly expanded paid leave provisions under the collective bargaining agreement, more employees facing additional burdens now have more frequent opportunities to convert pay into time off. In the future, part-time employees will also be able to apply for additional days off if they are burdened by shift work, raising children, or providing care. In addition, they will be able to take advantage of this leave more often: up to five times for childcare and caregiving. Boguslawski: “More and better leave means greater equality, better work-life balance, and healthier industrial work.”
The collective bargaining agreement was preceded by a larger wave of warning strikes than in previous rounds of negotiations. Since October 29, IG Metall has mobilized a total of over 620,000 warning strikers, who gathered at the factory gates at various times. Boguslawski: “The determined commitment of the workers alongside IG Metall is what made this collective bargaining agreement possible in the first place.”
The collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the IG Metall districts of Bavaria and the Coast runs through October 31, 2026. The IG Metall Executive Board recommends that the democratic bodies in the IG Metall districts adopt the pilot agreement’s terms across all bargaining regions.
The joint statements by the social partners are available for download here:
Joint Statement on Industrial Policy
Joint Statement on Democracy
