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11 January, 2000The world's biggest trade union, the German IG Metall, has presented its demands in the new millennium's first wage negotiations.
GERMANY: On January 11, the president of IG Metall, Klaus Zwickel, presented the union's pay rise demands for the year 2000: plus 5.5 per cent.
The demand is based on the view that productivity will rise by up to 3.5 per cent this year and inflation will be 1.5 per cent. According to Klaus Zwickel, the demands are at the lower end of what the metalworkers on the floor are talking about.
The German metalworkers' union represents more than 3 million metalworkers and because of its importance this union is expected to set the wage benchmark for other German unions.
IG Metall has for months pushed for an early retirement plan (see earlier news item of December 16). Two days before Klaus Zwickel presented the pay rise demands, a tripartite agreement was reached between the unions, industry and German government. IG Metall described the compromise as a success, which gives the unions a green light to go ahead and negotiate a retirement-at-60 plan.
The negotiations for a new contract between IG Metall and the German metal and engineering employers will start next month. The current contract expires February 29.
The demand is based on the view that productivity will rise by up to 3.5 per cent this year and inflation will be 1.5 per cent. According to Klaus Zwickel, the demands are at the lower end of what the metalworkers on the floor are talking about.
The German metalworkers' union represents more than 3 million metalworkers and because of its importance this union is expected to set the wage benchmark for other German unions.
IG Metall has for months pushed for an early retirement plan (see earlier news item of December 16). Two days before Klaus Zwickel presented the pay rise demands, a tripartite agreement was reached between the unions, industry and German government. IG Metall described the compromise as a success, which gives the unions a green light to go ahead and negotiate a retirement-at-60 plan.
The negotiations for a new contract between IG Metall and the German metal and engineering employers will start next month. The current contract expires February 29.