In Germany, began on Saturday a strike in the steel, chemical, automotive and electronic sectors. The powerful IG Metall union has called what it calls warning strikes this weekend.
They gathered 2000 people. The unions are demanding a general wage increase of 8%. What companies reject.
Instead, they offer a single premium of €3,000, valid for 30 months. The industry bosses also criticize the union. Its president believes that “he was blinded to the reality of the industry, in the worst case due to the energy crisis.”
General strike
In southern Europe, discontent is also rising.
In Spain, Airbus staff have called an indefinite strike starting Monday at all facilities in the country. This Thursday a demonstration is scheduled for the rise in wages, in Madrid, at the initiative of the two main unions.
In Italy, negotiations began this week in the automotive sector and they look tense. 70,000 workers are affected.
The unions, especially at Stellantis and Ferrari, are demanding an 8.4% wage increase for next year. Negative of the industrialists for the moment.
“Historic” increases in France
In Portugal, a procession paraded this month in Lisbon. The objective: to obtain a minimum salary of 800 euros compared to the current 705. In two weeks, the civil service will be on a general strike.
And in France, will the pressure of the employees pay off? Budget increase forecasts are revised upwards again. According to the latest Deloitte study, these new envelopes will reach “historic levels”.
Combining this year’s increases and projected budgets, the firm expects a 6.5% salary increase for non-executives and 6.4% for executives in 2 years. That’s a little over 3% per year.
Half of the companies surveyed also plan to pay Macron’s bonus.
Source: BFM TV
