Germany - Agreements in the wood and plastics industry - January 31, 2026

Employers and the IG Metall union have reached a collective agreement for the wood and plastics processing industry in the regions of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Bremen. Nationwide, 7,500 employees had put pressure on the negotiating table through protests. Specifically, the agreement in Baden-Württemberg provides for a two-stage wage increase: a permanent 2% increase starting in June 2026, followed by a further 2.2% increase in July 2027. In addition, employees will receive a one-off payment of € 300 in April 2026. Trainees will also receive a one-off payment of € 150 and a two-stage increase in their trainee compensation of € 30 each. The agreement stipulates a term of 27 months, until January 2028.

Read on: in German…

For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.