The chemical industry got through the corona crisis more lightly than other branches of the economy.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin The Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE) wants to secure long-term purchasing power for the approximately 580,000 employees in the chemical industry in the coming collective bargaining round, but does not initially set a specific percentage demand. The union board has decided on a corresponding recommendation.
“The chemistry is booming,” said the deputy IG-BCE chairman and negotiator Ralf Sikorski. The industry got through the corona crisis more lightly than other branches of the economy. There is a “positive development” in incoming orders.
Unlike in previous rounds, which were more about qualitative elements such as additional long-term care insurance, this time the union wants to focus on increasing incomes. Sikorski justified the fact that IG BCE has not yet set a percentage demand with the uncertainty about the development of inflation.
He assumes that the currently very high rate of price increases will weaken again somewhat. After regional rounds, the negotiations at federal level will not begin until March 21, 2022, so that inflation developments will then have to be reassessed. It is clear, however, that the purchasing power of the employees must be increased: “We measure the wage result in real wage increases,” said Sikorski.
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Night surcharges are to be increased to a uniform 25 percent
In addition, the union is demanding that the night surcharges be raised from the current 15 or 20 percent to 25 percent, depending on the shift. This is to take account of the fact that the workers kept the shop running around the clock even during the pandemic. Sikorski put the cost of this part of the claim at 0.3 to 0.4 percentage points of a possible deal.
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“We measure the collective bargaining result in real wage increases,” says the union vice-president.
(Photo: imago images / Future Image)
In addition, IG BCE wants to agree guard rails for mobile working and further develop the collective agreement “Future through training and career entry”. Sikorski said he was “shocked” by the decline in training numbers in the corona crisis.
The union is aiming for the new collective agreement to run for twelve months. A “cross-country skier” like in the previous collective bargaining round, in which a term of 28 months had been agreed, will certainly not be found, said the IG-BCE vice-president.
The recommendation of the trade union board is now being discussed in the regions, and on February 22nd, the Federal Chemicals Tariff Commission will take the final decision on the claim. At the regional level, negotiations will take place between March 2 and 16, 2022, before the employers’ association BAVC and the trade union will meet on March 21 and 22. March then sit opposite for the first time at the federal level.
Further negotiation dates are for the 4th / 5th. April and 4th / 5th May be scheduled, with the Easter holidays in between. The old collective agreement expires at the end of March 2022.
More: Debate on inflation: Wieland calls for a turnaround in monetary policy by the ECB: “General price level is rising” – Fratzscher: “It’s not that simple”