„Lage nicht schlechtreden“: IG Metall sieht Erholung und attackiert Arbeitgeber

The situation in Germany's industry appears to be improving, according to IG Metall. A survey of IG Metall's industry branches indicates that 63% of works councils reported good or very good capacity utilization in sectors like metal and electronics, steel manufacturing, handcrafts and textiles. This is a 6 percentage point increase compared to a year ago.

Meanwhile, 58% of the surveyed works councils expressed good to very good prospects for the coming months, marking the first time since 2023 that businesses with temporary workers have begun to hire more staff (28%) rather than reduce it (22%). Furthermore, more companies reported that the working hours account for an excessive build-up of hours rather than an excessive reduction (first time since 2023).

Despite a challenging global environment, IG Metall's First Chairman, Christiane Benner, expressed cautious optimism, emphasizing that better economic data and increased investment and purchasing power indicate a positive outlook. She also criticized the fact that some companies are taking advantage of the current situation to reduce their permanent staff.

According to the IG Metall survey, which covers about 1.3 million employees, the outlook is positive for the non-automotive vehicle industry (ships, railways, airplanes) and electronics engineering, while the automotive sector remains underperforming. Notably, one in six companies with good or very good operational prospects have reduced permanent staff, up from 5% three years ago.

IG Metall criticizes this trend, stating that businesses should not take advantage of the situation to reduce workers. In the metal and electronics sectors, around 3.7 million workers are currently involved in collective bargaining. IG Metall plans to finalize their demands on September 23, with negotiations scheduled to begin on October 7.