Jörg Hofmann, First Chairman of IG Metall, on the demand for a four-day week for the steel industry
Photo: IG Metall
Photo: IG Metall
April 5, 20235. 4. 2023
In the next wage round for the West German steel industry, IG Metall wants to demand a four-day week with full wage compensation. Jörg Hofmann, First Chairman of IG Metall:
“The four-day week has not only been promoted socially by IG Metall for years, but also implemented in concrete terms. With the collective bargaining option of temporarily reducing working hours or as an instrument for securing employment, the four-day week can already be implemented for many colleagues today. The demand to implement the four-day week in the steel industry with full wage compensation is aimed for the first time at a collective, collectively agreed entitlement for employees in an entire industry. This is the next step in an attractive industrial world of work that makes it easy to combine life and work.
The steel industry has often been a pioneer for progressive collective bargaining regulations – also with regard to working hours. As early as 1978, the colleagues there went on strike for a 35-hour week. In this respect, this requirement also has an impact beyond the steel industry. However, there are no longer any major collective bargaining negotiations at IG Metall this year (apart from the current round of collective bargaining for motor vehicles).”