German union branches push 5% wage rise for metal, auto workers

Germany’s main industrial union was urged by its regional branches on Tuesday to seek a 5% pay raise for metal, electrical and auto workers.

IG Metall branches in several regions, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony, set the same 5% target for a 12-month contract. They also called for a “social component” to ease the burden on lower pay grades.

The union’s executive board is due to announce a nationwide demand on Wednesday in Frankfurt for hundreds of thousands of workers in Germany’s metal and electrical industries, based on feedback from regional bargaining committees.

First talks with employer associations are set to start in October. Warning strikes are possible from November.

The sector covers autos, mechanical engineering and electronics, as well as aerospace and defense suppliers. Industry-wide collective agreements cover about 3.7 million workers.