IG Metall: Results obtained with Ford suppliers
20:52: After days of negotiations, IG Metall and Ford's suppliers in Saarlouis have reached a result. “We have signed contracts with all five companies,” IG Metall Völklingen's second representative and negotiator, Ralf Cavelius, told the German Press Agency on Sunday afternoon. “And for all of us we have a result that is impressive and clearly differentiates itself from the normal problems of the social plan.”
Tomorrow, Monday, work meetings will be held in each company: the acceptance of collective social agreements will be voted on, Cavelius said. There will also be a vote to end the strike. On Friday a week ago, the union called approximately 500 company employees to an indefinite strike. After four days of strike action, the strike was called off to renegotiate.
“We actually wanted jobs, but we can't get them,” Cavelius said. “That's why we want the second best solution. “It is huge money.” There are severance payments, transfer companies and transitional arrangements for older employees. “We ask for much more. But we have clearly gotten closer to our goal,” he stated.
The reason for the contracts is the end of production in Saarlouis announced by the American car manufacturer Ford in November 2025. A social collective agreement for Ford factory employees has been in force since the end of February. The agreements include continued employment for 1,000 of Ford's 3,750 employees until the end of 2032, high compensation and bonuses, the formation of a transfer company and qualification programs. In addition, the end of production of the Ford Focus has been postponed by half a year to November 2025.
Bahn and GDL negotiate again: debate on the right to strike continues
15:29: After Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) returned to the negotiating table, both sides expressed confidence over the weekend that they could announce a result next week. Until then, the GDL will refrain from further strikes. Meanwhile, the debate over reforming the right to strike continued between politicians and unions.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai called for restrictions on “Bild am Sonntag”. “We need comprehensive reforms of the right to strike in the critical infrastructure sector,” he told the newspaper. “This includes instruments such as mandatory arbitration, clear strike deadlines and the possibility of replacing negotiators. We also have to talk about a general restriction of the right to strike in sensitive areas.”
Especially with regard to so-called critical infrastructure, it is crucial “that proportionality is maintained and excessive greed for strikes, such as the one we have experienced, is avoided in the future,” said the FDP politician.
Djir-Sarai was especially harshly critical of the GDL's behavior: GDL head Claus Weselsky had “held the entire country hostage for months without showing any serious willingness to reach a compromise.” The economic damage to Germany is now enormous. “It cannot continue like this in the future,” said the Secretary General.
For his part, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) declared in the newspaper “Rheinpfalz” (Monday edition): “We cannot resolve collective bargaining disputes through the right to strike.” ” Wissing said. “That's why it's out of the question for me to “question anything about this in the current litigation.”
Despite the strikes, Wissing believes that privatizing the railway is the right thing to do, according to the interview. “We have created a new infrastructure company that controls the infrastructure sector for the common good, but the operation must be private,” he said, adding that Germany is not a country where there are many strikes. “Though a lot of things are coming together right now.”
The president of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi (SPD), referred in the debate to the autonomy of collective bargaining. “The right to strike is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution,” she told the Web.de News portal. A restriction “would be a restriction on the autonomy of collective bargaining; “We cannot and will not accept it.”
In Germany there is a very restrictive right to strike, Fahimi explained. If this is questioned, “it is either pure populism or a frivolous game with constitutional rights.” Demands to restrict the right to strike are “an absolute declaration of war on the unions and we will not budge one bit.”
In recent days, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil and SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, among others, rejected calls to restrict the right to strike. However, the Federal Association of Business Associations (BDA) called for reforms.
FDP Secretary General: Change the right to strike for critical infrastructure
Sunday, March 17, 00:01 hours: In view of the months-long collective dispute between the GDL train drivers' union and the railway, FDP general secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai calls for a reform of the right to strike. Especially when it comes to critical infrastructure, it is crucial “that proportionality is maintained and that excessive strike greed, as we have experienced, is avoided in the future,” he told “Bild am Sonntag.” “We need comprehensive reforms of the right to strike in the critical infrastructure sector.”
These include instruments such as mandatory arbitration, clear deadlines for strikes and the possibility of replacing negotiators, Djir-Sarai said. “We also have to talk about a general restriction of the right to strike in sensitive areas.”
The FDP politician accused GDL head Claus Weselsky of “holding the entire country hostage for months without showing any serious willingness to reach a compromise.” The economic damage is enormous. “It can't continue like this in the future.”
In the current tariff conflict with the railways, the GDL has already called strikes six times, which has seriously affected railway traffic. On Saturday it became known that the union of railway workers and machinists are negotiating again and believe that it is possible to reach a quick agreement.
Air traffic has resumed after a warning strike at six airports
Saturday March 16, 8:20 am: Following the warning strike by air security forces on Friday, air traffic has resumed at the affected airports. In Dortmund and Weeze, where there was an all-day strike on Friday, traffic returned to normal on Saturday. No delays or cancellations were reported on the websites. Some other airports had already resumed flight operations on Friday. The Verdi union had called on aviation security workers at the airports of Dortmund, Weeze, Dresden, Leipzig/Halle, Hannover and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden to go on a warning strike. A Verdi spokesman confirmed on Saturday that the strike went ahead as planned and has now come to an end. “We are very satisfied with how things have gone, also because for the first time we went on strike at some airports.”
With the warning strikes, Verdi wants to increase pressure on employers before the next round of negotiations on March 20. These concern the salaries and working conditions of around 25,000 employees of private security service providers. The Federal Police control passengers, staff and luggage at the entrances to the security area. In the five rounds of negotiations so far, Verdi and the Federal Association of Aviation Safety Companies (BDLS) have not reached an agreement. The warning strike by air security forces marks the end of a turbulent week in aviation. Warning strikes by security staff at five German airports already largely paralyzed operations on Thursday. The airports in Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Cologne/Bonn were affected. In the previous days, some Lufthansa flight attendants had also gone on strike.
Two weeks before Easter, a ray of hope emerges in the collective conflict among Lufthansa ground staff. They are now pursuing arbitration proceedings. Verdi believes it is realistic to reach an agreement no later than Holy Saturday.
You can read more information about warning attacks on the following pages.