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13 September 2026

Independent · Brussels & Berlin

Person

Christiane Benner

Chair of IG Metall, IG Metall

Coverage 2 articles

01

Business

IG Metall demands real-wage protection as employers warn of losses

Union survey shows 47.8% of 267,000 metal and electrical workers back moderate pay rises while Gesamtmetall says only 19% of firms rate their finances as good, setting up a clash before 31 October contract expiry.

By Tomás Lindqvist · 12 September 2026 · 5 min read