A democratic process How a collective bargaining demand is formed

How does a “collectivebargaining round”actually work? And how does IG Metall arrive at its demands for collective bargaining with employers?

The debate and formulation of collective bargaining demands is a democratic process: First, IG Metall members and shop stewards discuss the issues in their workplaces and at local IG Metall meetings: What should we demand? More money—and how much? Do we need to address working hours? Or do we need better regulations to secure our jobs and workplaces? 

In addition, during larger collective bargaining rounds, IG Metall also surveys employees directly at the workplaces. 

The demands from the workplaces and the results of the surveys are then incorporated into the discussions within IG Metall’s collective bargaining committees.  

Collective bargaining committees decide on collective bargaining demands

The members of the bargaining committees are elected by delegates from the local IG Metall offices for regional collective agreements—or directly within the company for company-specific collective agreements . IG Metall and employers typically negotiate regional collective agreements for larger industries on a regional basis across various bargaining areas. In the metal and electrical industry, for example, there are 15 collective bargaining regions and 11 negotiation regions, including Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, the Coast, Central Germany, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, and Thuringia. 

The bargaining committees compile and discuss the demands raised by the workplaces and at member meetings. Based on the discussions of these demands within the bargaining committees, the IG Metall Executive Board issues a recommended set of demands, which is then discussed and reviewed by shop stewards, works council members, and IG Metall members.

Throughout the debate on demands, the members of the bargaining committees remain in constant dialogue with IG Metall members at their workplaces. They represent their colleagues’ concerns within the committee, keep them informed about the discussions in the bargaining committees, and discuss these matters with them.

Finally, the bargaining committees decide on their demands. The IG Metall Executive Board then adopts the final demands for the collective bargaining negotiations. In this year’s 2026 collective bargaining round for the metal and electrical industries, this took place on September 22 and 23.

In other sectors, the process is somewhat simpler—without a recommendation on demands from the IG Metall Executive Board.

Once the IG Metall Executive Board has finalized the demands, the IG Metall district leaderships forward the demands agreed upon for their bargaining areas to the employers.

This clears the way for collective bargaining.

The collective bargaining negotiations are then conducted by the negotiating committees, which are formed from the bargaining committees.