The IG Metall trade union rejects linking the relief bonus, planned by the coalition, to permanent wage increases during upcoming collective bargaining rounds. Trade union chief Christiane Benner stated to Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers that the bonus is intended to be a short-term measure to alleviate the acute burdens on employees, and that employers should distribute this money quickly and immediately. However, Benner emphasized that “in the medium to long term, there is a need for permanently higher wages. A rent increase or higher supermarket prices are not temporary phenomena but burden people’s daily lives in the long run”. She added, “Ensuring consistently more money for our members is part of our role as a union, and we will advocate for this during the upcoming bargaining rounds”. The proposal for a consumer relief package was presented by top figures from the black-red coalition on Monday, against the backdrop of significantly rising energy prices. Besides a temporary reduction in taxes on gasoline and diesel, employers would be given the option to pay their employees a tax- and duty-free bonus this year. The IG Metall is currently preparing for the next collective bargaining round in the metal and electrical industry, which employs almost four million people. The intense phase for the union begins in the autumn in Germany’s most important industrial sector. Furthermore, the union has upcoming bargaining rounds scheduled for the iron and steel industry, crafts sector, and Volkswagen.
IG Metall Rejects Linking Relief Bonus to Permanent Wage Hikes
