Briefing
After the expiry of the collective bargaining peace obligation period overnight on 1 November 2026, the metalworkers’ union IG Metall called for the first regional warning strikes in the metal and electrical industries . According to the union district, around 300 employees gathered outside the factory gates of KSM Castings in in Hildesheim., where the action was seen as a symbolic opening. Shortly after midnight, local night shifts at several sites stopped work; actions were reported in Lower Saxony as well as in North Rhine-Westphalia reported.
The strikes come amid ongoing collective bargaining: the union is seeking significant pay increases, improved conditions for apprentices and stronger job security. The employers’ side described the demands as incompatible with the economic situation, citing weaker order books, higher energy prices and international competitive pressure. According to matching reports, the employers’ offer so far comprised a relatively small one-off payment and staggered increases; the union considers this inadequate.
The warning strikes are planned as a gradual escalation: the union said it would extend action at short notice to more sites and shifts if there was no discernible progress in negotiations. Employers and affected companies warned of possible production stoppages and effects on supply chains; reliable nationwide figures for shifts lost were only available regionally that morning and varied by company.
Two factors will be decisive in what happens next: whether employers put forward a significantly improved offer, and to what extent further union districts work stoppages decide to take action. Both sides have indicated a willingness to talk but are sticking to their core positions. The current actions mark the formal transition from negotiations under the no-strike obligation to open industrial action; the response of employees to further calls will help determine the course of the next round of negotiations.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).