Frankfurt am Main/Laupheim – Employees in the wood and plastics industry receive more money. After two months of negotiations and committed warning strikes, IG Metall and employers in Baden-Württemberg have agreed on the first nationwide result in this collective bargaining round.
IG Metall collective bargaining officer Nadine Boguslawski says: “With committed warning strikes, the employees have made the employer’s dream of a zero wage round for 2026 a non-starter. This balanced collective bargaining result reflects the situation of the industry and the employees. The upswing needs permanently rising wages. This strengthens the purchasing power of the employees. Business and overall economic common sense has prevailed.” Nationwide, 7,500 employees took actions to put pressure on movement at the negotiating tables.
Specifically, the collective bargaining partners agreed that monthly wages would increase by a total of 4.2 percent in two stages. In addition, employees will receive a one-off payment of 300 euros in April 2026, which companies in crisis can postpone if justified.
The industry has 166,000 employees nationwide in the wood, furniture and plastics industries: at automotive suppliers and manufacturers of everything from kitchens to caravans to pianos. 38,000 employees benefit directly from IG Metall’s collective agreements. 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.
Negotiations in the other tariff areas will continue from January 20th.
Note for editors: Please also note the press release IG Metall Baden-Württemberg
Further information and press photos from Nadine Boguslawski