Frankfurt am Main – From January 7th, the IG Metall union is calling on employees in the wood and plastics processing industry to go on warning strikes. The industry has a total of 166,000 employees nationwide.
Collective bargaining officer Nadine Boguslawski described the behavior of the employers’ associations in the first collective bargaining negotiations as annoying and unproductive: “The employees need security and perspectives instead of standstill. They suffer from less and less purchasing power and more workload, the companies from a brain drain. And the employers offer: nothing.”
IG Metall is calling for a wage increase of 5 percent, and disproportionately more for trainees. The employers’ associations, on the other hand, do not want any permanent increase in the pay table for the entire year 2026. Boguslawski: “Anyone who wants to freeze wages endangers skilled workers and purchasing power. We are demanding 5 percent more money so that people can afford their lives and companies remain attractive.” Employers are ignoring the situation and stress on their employees as well as the expected slight increase in the economy in 2026. Boguslawski: “Growth needs warning strikes now.”
Employees in the wood, furniture and plastics industries work for automotive suppliers, caravan, kitchen and piano manufacturers, among others. 38,000 employees benefit directly from IG Metall’s collective bargaining agreement. In addition, there are numerous companies with an indirect effect of the collective agreement, which, with or without an in-house collective agreement, are based on the union’s collective agreements.
Note for editors: You can obtain regional press contacts from the IG Metall district management: igmetall.de/press-districts