Gewerkschaft: IG Metall sieht Erholung und attackiert Arbeitgeber

According to the IG Metall union, German industry is showing signs of recovery. Sixty-three percent of works councils reported good or very good capacity utilization in the IG Metall sectors, a six percentage point increase from a year ago. Fifty-eight percent of surveyed businesses expressed positive or very positive outlooks for the coming months.

For the first time since 2023, companies using temporary workers are increasing their temporary staff (28 percent) rather than reducing it (22 percent). Additionally, more businesses are experiencing an "excessive buildup" of work hours rather than an "excessive reduction" of work hours, also a first since 2023. Despite global challenges, IG Metall's First President, Christiane Benner, sees cautious optimism, especially as more money flows into investments and purchasing power.

The union conducts semi-annual surveys of businesses in its sectors, including metal and electronics, steel, craftsmanship, and textiles. The surveyed businesses represent 1.3 million employees. Good prospects are noted in the non-automotive vehicle sector (ships, rail, aircraft) and electrical engineering, while the automotive sector is more mixed.

Notably, one in six firms with good or very good business outlooks is reducing permanent staff, a significant increase from the 5 percent seen three years ago. IG Metall criticizes that 15 percent of companies are cutting positions despite economic necessity. In the metal and electronics sectors, there are ongoing collective bargaining negotiations involving approximately 3.7 million employees.

The union plans to decide on their demand on September 23, with negotiations with employers scheduled to begin on October 7. More: IG Metall calls for greater support from the government.