Industrial Strikes Underway Across Germany, According to Reports
The German metalworkers union has initiated a nationwide strike to demand a wage increase in response to rising inflation. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Workers are calling for higher wages as inflation continues to rise.
On Tuesday, the German trade union IG Metall initiated strikes across the nation’s metal and electrical sectors in a push for increased wages, according to reports from German media. This move comes amid heightened concerns about the health of the EU’s largest manufacturing economy.
As reported by the tabloid Bild, workers began to walk off the job during the night shift, including those at Volkswagen’s plant in Osnabruck, where there are fears the facility may be shut down.
In Hanover, Lower Saxony, approximately 200 employees of battery manufacturer Clarios participated in a strike, carrying torches and union flags, according to the outlet.
In Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, around 400 workers, including those from Jensen GmbH, KSM Castings Group, Robert Bosch, Waggonbau Graaff, and ZF CV Systems Hannover, have reportedly ceased operations.
Protests are also anticipated at BMW and Audi facilities in Bavaria, with nationwide work stoppages planned throughout the day, the tabloid noted.
“The fact that production lines are now at a standstill and offices are empty is the responsibility of the employers,” IG Metall’s negotiator and district manager Thorsten Groger stated, as quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Amid soaring inflation, IG Metall is demanding a 7% wage increase, contrasting with the 3.6% raise offered by employers’ associations over a span of 27 months. Employers have described such demands as unrealistic.
These widespread strikes occur shortly after Volkswagen announced on Monday that it would close “at least” three out of its ten plants in Germany, resulting in layoffs of tens of thousands of employees and downsizing of the remaining facilities. This cost-cutting initiative was described as necessary by the conglomerate. Chief Executive Oliver Blume mentioned a “difficult economic environment” and the “failing competitiveness of the German economy” as contributing factors to this decision.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry warned last year that the nation was “dramatically losing its international competitiveness” due to surging energy costs.
A recent survey by the VDA auto industry association indicated that restructuring within the German car industry could result in 186,000 job losses by 2035, with around a quarter of those already realized.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Tuesday, the German trade union IG Metall initiated strikes across the nation’s metal and electrical sectors in a push for increased wages, according to reports from German media. This move comes amid heightened concerns about the health of the EU’s largest manufacturing economy.
As reported by the tabloid Bild, workers began to walk off the job during the night shift, including those at Volkswagen’s plant in Osnabruck, where there are fears the facility may be shut down.
In Hanover, Lower Saxony, approximately 200 employees of battery manufacturer Clarios participated in a strike, carrying torches and union flags, according to the outlet.
In Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, around 400 workers, including those from Jensen GmbH, KSM Castings Group, Robert Bosch, Waggonbau Graaff, and ZF CV Systems Hannover, have reportedly ceased operations.
Protests are also anticipated at BMW and Audi facilities in Bavaria, with nationwide work stoppages planned throughout the day, the tabloid noted.
“The fact that production lines are now at a standstill and offices are empty is the responsibility of the employers,” IG Metall’s negotiator and district manager Thorsten Groger stated, as quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Amid soaring inflation, IG Metall is demanding a 7% wage increase, contrasting with the 3.6% raise offered by employers’ associations over a span of 27 months. Employers have described such demands as unrealistic.
These widespread strikes occur shortly after Volkswagen announced on Monday that it would close “at least” three out of its ten plants in Germany, resulting in layoffs of tens of thousands of employees and downsizing of the remaining facilities. This cost-cutting initiative was described as necessary by the conglomerate. Chief Executive Oliver Blume mentioned a “difficult economic environment” and the “failing competitiveness of the German economy” as contributing factors to this decision.
The German Association of the Automotive Industry warned last year that the nation was “dramatically losing its international competitiveness” due to surging energy costs.
A recent survey by the VDA auto industry association indicated that restructuring within the German car industry could result in 186,000 job losses by 2035, with around a quarter of those already realized.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
