ISSN 0951-8657. Published by Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. 0 1995 All rights reservred. Printed by Tridant Press, Edenbridge, Kent. 12,000 Germar. engineering workers in 30 plants in Bavaria have been on strike for almost two weeks, demanding a six percent pay rise with no strings.
But as we go to press talks have reopened with the leaders of the giant 3.1 million strong IG-Metall union: employers are pressing for drastic concessions in the form of 'flexibility' in return for any pay increase. This formula is grimly familiar to British engineering workers.
And German bosses have raised the stakes, threatening that if no settlement is reached by March 8 they will lock out workers at one plant for every one closed by strike action - obliging the union to pay strike benefit to members locked out.
Other sections of German workers are also in line behind the engineers demanding big pay increases, including 1.5 million building workers, chemical workers and 450,000 bank workers.
Like workers in Britain, German trade unionists are angered at sky-rocketing corporate profits while pay increases last year averaged just two percent and inflation three percent.
Worried that they could lose ground in the competitive world market, German bosses are determined to hold the line.
Though the strike so far is strong and solid, German workers have little reason to believe their right wing union leaders will be as eager for a fight.