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IG Metall demands improved conditions for precarious workers

17 February, 2012IG Metall puts rights of precarious workers at centre of its collective bargaining this year, along with demands for a 6.5 per cent wage increase in the metal and electrical engineering sector and permanent contracts for young people completing apprenticeships.

GERMANY: Improving the wages and conditions of temporary and agency workers is one of the central priorities for IMF German affiliate IG Metall in its forthcoming rounds of collective bargaining in the temporary sector and in the metal and electrical engineering sector.

Through collective bargaining in the metal and electrical engineering industries, starting on March 6, IG Metall will demand a 6.5 per cent increase for workers in this sector, the commitment to permanent contract for young people completing an apprenticeship, and more co-determination rights for works council members on the use of temporary work. The objective is to limit the use of temporary and agency work within the sector.

In addition, through its bargaining in the temporary sector starting on February 22, the union is demanding "sectoral bonuses" for agency workers engaged in the metal industry to ensure they earn the same wages as permanent employees in the same job. IG-Metall has gained 38,000 new members among temporary staff and for the first time indicates it will ask these members to take strike action if required to defend their claims.

The Executive Committee of IG Metall will meet on February 24 to decide on the final demands. The current collective agreement on wages will expire on March 31, 2012.

For more details (German only) see:
http://www.igmetall.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-9D978853-90CB9DC7/internet/style.xsl/9281-9418.htm