With drums, torches, and flares, over 70,000 members of the IG Metall union launched warning strikes at around 370 companies across Germany in the metal and electrical industries on October 29. The union’s demand for a 7% pay increase over 12 months has yet to be met by employers, who have countered with two smaller raises of 1.7% and 1.9% over a 27-month period, with the first increase set for July 2025.
The strikes impacted notable companies across Germany, including Porsche, where around 500 employees joined the night shift strike and approximately 4,000 joined during the morning shift. Additional walkouts took place at Bosch in Reutlingen, ZF in Friedrichshafen, and Daimler Buses in Neu-Ulm, involving thousands of workers.
Collective agreements in the metal and electrical industries cover critical sectors of the German economy, including automotive manufacturing and mechanical engineering. In Lower Saxony and northern Germany’s coastal district, the third round of regional negotiations ended quickly and without progress. "Without any movement from employers, we’re expanding our warning strikes and increasing intensity," said IG Metall district head Thorsten Gröger.
While the union initially staged shorter stoppages, Gröger hinted at the possibility of 24-hour strikes, which employers have criticized as excessive during the warning phase. The union’s next steps aim to put further pressure on employers to address the workers’ pay demands.
