IG Metall launches warning strikes in Germany
The strikes follow the end of the peace obligation in the metal and electrical sectors.
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The German trade union IG Metall began warning strikes in the metal and electrical sectors shortly after midnight. The action began at Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein, among other sites, and is due to be expanded over the coming days.
At Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein in Andernach, around 300 employees temporarily stopped work, according to IG Metall. According to dpa, action also began that night at RF 360 Europe, a Qualcomm supplier in Munich. IG Metall said the strikes began immediately after the so-called peace obligation in the collective bargaining negotiations had expired.
IG Metall is negotiating on behalf of around 3.7 million employees in Germany’s metal and electrical sectors. The union is seeking a 5 per cent pay rise for twelve months and says it also wants agreements on job and location security. According to the union, this should protect purchasing power while allowing companies facing different economic circumstances room for tailored arrangements.
According to Tagesschau, employers put forward a different proposal in the second round of negotiations. According to Tagesschau, it provides for a one-off payment of 1 per cent of annual gross pay in July 2027, after eight months without a structural increase, and a permanent increase of 1.3 per cent from July 2028. According to Tagesschau, the proposed collective agreement would run until the end of 2028.
IG Metall effectively calls the offer a step backwards for employees, because the structural increase, according to the union, falls short of price rises. Employers point instead to the difficult economic situation and the high costs facing German industry. They also want more exemptions for companies under financial pressure, as well as talks on sickness absence and the faster introduction of artificial intelligence.
The action is initially temporary and intended to put pressure on the negotiations. According to dpa, the warning strikes will be extended to other parts of Germany next week. The automotive industry, mechanical engineering, electronics and metal production could all be affected.
The consequences for Dutch companies are still uncertain. However, prolonged disruption to German industrial supply chains could become relevant for Dutch suppliers and transport companies. It remains uncertain whether the action will lead to production losses, supply problems or an agreement. The next rounds of negotiations should show whether employers and the union are moving closer together.
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Both sides of the figures
▲ Bright spots
- The action is initially temporary and intended to influence the negotiations, not to begin a prolonged strike immediately.
- Employers and IG Metall are still negotiating, so an agreement remains possible.
- The collective bargaining negotiations cover around 3.7 million employees, meaning an agreement could have wide-ranging income effects.
▼ Concerns
- The employers’ proposal provides for a structural increase of 1.3 per cent only from July 2028, after eight months without a structural pay rise.
- According to IG Metall, the offer falls short of price rises and could therefore lead to a fall in real incomes.
- The action could be extended to the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, electronics and metal production.
Critical note
The available sources provide no independent calculation of total production losses, the precise development of real wages or the consequences for Dutch companies. The 5 per cent is a union demand, not an agreed pay rise.
Who notices what
- Workers
- They could temporarily strengthen the wage negotiations, but prolonged action also carries a risk of income loss.
- Businesses
- Manufacturing companies could face temporary work stoppages and uncertainty over labour costs.
- Households
- A future agreement could affect wages in the sectors concerned, but there is no agreement yet.
- Government
- The German economy could be affected indirectly if the action spreads to several industrial supply chains.
Every point comes from the article’s sources and was included in the fact check.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- IG Metall began temporary warning strikes on 1 November.
- The union is seeking a 5 per cent pay rise and agreements on jobs and locations.
- Employers are offering a one-off payment in 2027 and a 1.3 per cent structural increase from 2028.
- The action could be extended to important industrial sectors.
Left
Arguments Employees should not agree to an offer that could undermine their purchasing power during a period of rising prices. Stronger wages also support domestic demand.
Values Purchasing power, solidarity among employees, and the security of jobs and production sites.
Consequences Without a substantial pay rise, real incomes could fall; prolonged uncertainty could affect employees and regions.
Centre
Arguments An agreement must take account of both employees’ need for higher wages and companies’ differing financial positions. Temporary exemptions or tailored arrangements could make a compromise possible.
Values Negotiability, continuity of production and institutional collective bargaining agreements.
Consequences A moderate agreement could limit strikes and disruption, but could also deliver less purchasing-power growth than the union is seeking.
Right
Arguments Industrial companies are under pressure from high costs and international competition. Excessive labour costs could put investment, employment and German production sites under further pressure.
Values Competitiveness, corporate scope for action and the retention of production.
Consequences A large pay rise could make companies more vulnerable; an offer that is too low could instead lead to a longer conflict and loss of staff.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts have been confirmed by IG Metall, dpa and Tagesschau. Claims about further expansion and economic consequences are presented as expectations or uncertainties.
- confirmed The warning strikes began shortly after midnight on 1 November 2026. — Confirmed by dpa and IG Metall. source
- confirmed Around 300 employees of Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein went on strike in Andernach. — Reported by IG Metall and dpa. source
- confirmed The collective bargaining negotiations concern around 3.7 million employees. — Mentioned by IG Metall and dpa. source
- confirmed IG Metall is seeking 5 per cent more pay for twelve months. — Stated in the IG Metall publication and the dpa report. source
- confirmed The employers’ proposal contains a one-off payment of 1 per cent and a structural increase of 1.3 per cent from July 2028. — The percentages and time frames appear in Tagesschau and the dpa report. source
- confirmed The action will be extended to other parts of Germany next week. — Reported by dpa as an announced expansion. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the warning strikes began on 1 November and that the first actions took place in Andernach and Munich. The scale of further action and the economic consequences remain uncertain; the employers’ and union’s proposals are presented based on the available sources.Sources
- Warnstreiks der IG Metall kurz nach Mitternacht angelaufen — dpa-AFX via onvista
- Reaktion auf Minus-Angebot: IG Metall startet Warnstreiks — IG Metall
- Tarifverhandlungen: IG Metall lehnt Angebot ab – Warnstreiks drohen — Tagesschau
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „duitsland ig metall”
- Trouw — „duitsland ig metall”
- RTL Nieuws — „duitsland ig metall”