Employers and IG Metall have reached an agreement in the wage negotiations for the East German steel industry. The union announced that pay for around 8,000 employees will increase by 1.75 percent as of January 1, 2026. The training allowance will increase by 75 euros per month. The collective agreement runs until December 31, 2026.
The negotiation package also includes the extension of the collective agreements on job security, work contracts and partial retirement. Among other things, these agreements secure the employment of trainees, allow for a reduction in working hours to up to 28 hours with partial compensation as well as regulations on working time accounts and partial retirement. The result is still subject to the approval of the collective bargaining commission and the IG Metall executive board.
