German union pushes for 5.5% wage increase

BERLIN—Germany’s largest industrial union is calling for a 5.5 per cent pay increase next year for some 3.7 million workers in Europe’s biggest economy.

The IG Metall union’s leadership made the recommendation Nov. 11 ahead of negotiations in January.

The figure is well above Germany’s 0.8 per cent annual inflation rate but union chairman Detlef Wetzel pointed to high corporate earnings and forecasts of growth. He argued that “it is also urgently needed to strengthen domestic demand.”

IG Metall represents workers in the automobile and machinery industries, among others. In Germany, wage deals are generally negotiated on a sector-wide basis.

In the last deal in mid-2013, IG Metall secured a 3.4 per cent raise that was followed this May by a further 2.2 per cent. It originally sought a 5.5 per cent raise over one year.