A week of protests and brief strikes brought the desired results. IgMetal, powerful trade union of German metalworkers announced the achievement of a pilot agreement that could change the history of Germany and its workers.
The agreement reached in Baden - Wuerttenberg, the territory of Daimler and Porsche, will cover for the moment 900 metalworkers in the industrial Land, but it could be extended to the 3,9 million workers in the sector active in the rest of the country.
Why is it considered historical? The reason is obvious: the agreement provides an increase in payroll for workers of 4,3% since April (with additional one-time payments) and the right for employees to reduce the working week to 28 hours for a period ranging from six months to 2 years. At the same time, companies will be able to increase weekly hours from 35 to 40 hours on condition that the increase takes place on a voluntary basis.
It is a different choice from the FCA model which also distributed in February a bonus of almost 1.600 euros to their employees.
Furthermore, returning to the German metalworkers, those who carry out a strenuous job, who need to look after the youngest children or a sick relative will be able toreduce working hours without incurring any cuts to salary.
Jörg Hofmann, number one of IGMetall, spoke of a "milestone towards a modern world of work, in which everyone will be able to choose for themselves". The president of Gesamtmetall, Rainer Dulger instead defined the agreement as "the cornerstone of flexible work in the 21st century".
