FRANKFURT (MNI) – Germany’s powerful IG Metall Union is confident
there will be notable wage increases, IG Metall head Berthold Huber
told the German daily Die Berliner Zeitung on Saturday.
“I am optimistic that we will push through a decent pay rise,”
Huber said. Europe’s biggest union is calling for a 6.5% pay increase
over the coming 12 months.
IG Metall has 3.6 million members in the metals and electronics
industries. The sector employer association Arbeitgeberverband
Gesamtmetall has rejected demands, noting that the union can justify
only around 3% with productivity and inflation developments.
Workers at the German car maker Opel, who are negotiating a
separate deal, also expect to see a boost in wages. The works
committee’s head told Berliner Zeitung he expected to see an increase
of “at least 4%.”
-Frankfurt newsroom +49 69 72 01 42; e-mail: jtreeck@marketnews.com
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