German engineering industry workers begin wage strikes

Berlin [Germany], November 2: Workers in Germany's engineering industry started temporary warning strikes on Sunday, in a dispute ​that pits 3.7 million workers seeking a % pay rise against companies suffering from a deepening crisis in the automotive sector.
Around 300 employees of Thyssenkrupp's (TKAG.DE), opens new tab ​Rasselstein unit as well as workers from ​surrounding companies joined the first walkout at ⁠midnight, the IG Metall union said on Sunday.
The ​union has rejected an offer made by employers ​during a second round of wage negotiations, describing it as a "minus offer" - a real-terms pay cut.
Employers have offered ​1% of annual gross pay as a one-off ​payment in the summer of 2027 and an additional 1.3% ⁠from July 2028.
"The midnight warning strike at thyssenkrupp Rasselstein is merely the start of a massive phase of warning strikes," Jorg Kohlinger, head ​of IG Metall's ​central district, ⁠said.
IG Metall is demanding a 5% wage rise over 12 months, ​according to Marc Winter, a union official ​and ⁠works council head at thyssenkrupp Rasselstein.
The union said further warning strikes would follow in the coming ⁠days ​across the bargaining region covering ​the states of Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland as well as in ​Thuringia.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation