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A blast furnace worker works on blast furnace 1 at ThyssenKrupp's Schwelgern plant
Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd / picture alliance / dpa
IG Metall is calling for 8.2 percent more wages for employees in the steel industry in the coming collective bargaining round.
This recommendation to the IG Metall board of directors was announced on Tuesday by the collective bargaining committees for the around 68,000 employees in north-west Germany and for the around 8,000 steelmakers in east Germany.
The term should be twelve months.
"In view of the sharp rise in prices and the good situation in many companies, employees expect a decent increase in their monthly wages," emphasized the district manager of IG Metall NRW and chief negotiator Knut Giesler.
In the West, the first round of negotiations is scheduled for May 13.
The peace obligation ends on May 31st.
IG Metall acted responsibly in the collective bargaining round last year at the height of the corona pandemic and helped the industry get through the crisis well, said Giesler.
"Now companies have to show responsibility and protect the social security of employees." The steel industry had an excellent year 2021.
»And unlike the employees, the companies can now pass on the increased costs and thus convert them into profit.«
The steel industry, with corporations such as Thyssenkrupp, Salzgitter and ArcelorMittal, is benefiting from the sharp rise in material prices, but is struggling with the skyrocketing raw material and energy costs.
In addition, demand from the automotive industry is weakening due to supply chain problems.
In mid-April, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe had sent around 1,300 of the approximately 18,000 employees on short-time work.
jso/Reuters