The southwestern chapter of union IG Metall completed at the beginning of the week the annual wage bargaining talks with employers in the region, which include Saarstahl, Dillinger, Badische Stahlwerke and Buderus.
The talks in the southwest normally take place three months after those of the northwestern and eastern chapters. The northwestern chapter is by far the biggest, including thyssenkrupp, Salzgitter, and most operations of ArcelorMittal, and the results of its negotiations normally are adopted by the smaller chapters.
In December, the northwestern employers and the union agreed on a wage increase of 5.5%, as Kallanish reported then. Employees will also receive an inflation compensation bonus of €1,500 ($1,635). A further €1,500 is to be paid in instalments until the end of 2024. In addition, both sides arrived on a formula to satisfy both the demand for shorter working hours and the simultaneously growing demands of the energy transition.
All these conditions were adopted by the negotiation partners in the southwest and will take effect with three months delay from the other two chapters.
Christian Koehl Germany