1984 West Germany metalworkers' strike

1984 strike in West Germany 1984 West Germany metalworkers' strike 1984 05 14 y – 1984 07 01 y West Germany Strike action 367,000 IG Metall German automobile corporations The 1984 West Germany metalworkers' strike was a strike by metalworkers in West Germany from 14 May to 1 July 1984.https://www.jstor.org/stable/421664 421664 The West German Labor Law Controversy: A Struggle for the Factory of the Future Silvia Stephen J. Comparative Politics 1988 20 2 155–173 10.2307/421664 subscription The metalworkers and their union IG Metall sought introduction of a 35-hour work week. Lasting seven weeks, one of the largest and longest strikes in West German history, the strike cost the German automobile industry over three billion dollars.21 June 1984 A BITTER AND PUZZLING GERMAN STRIKE https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/21/business/a-bitter-and-puzzling-german-strike.html Tagliabue John 9 October 2024 The New York Times History Prelude As collective bargaining negotiations began, IG Metall argued that introduction of a 35-hour work week would also help reduce unemployment, potentially creating space for hundreds of thousands of new jobs.30 March 1984 West German metal workers threaten national strike for shorter workweek https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/0330/033024.html Long Wellington 14 October 2024 CS Monitor Auto corporations, on the other hand, argued that the 35-hour work week would lead to a significant increase in the cost of labour, and would see jobs lost to factories overseas where labour was cheaper. On 5 May 1984, 80.05% of IG Metall members voted in favour of taking strike action for the 35-hour work week.5 May 1984 AROUND THE WORLD; German Metalworkers Approve a Strike https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/05/world/around-the-world-german-metalworkers-approve-a-strike.html 14 October 2024 The New York Times Strike In the early hours of 14 May, metalworkers across West Germany began walking off the job, launching the strike.14 May 1984 West German metalworkers strike https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/05/14/West-German-metalworkers-strike/1003453355200/ 14 October 2024 UPI27 May 1984 AROUND THE WORLD; Talks Fail to Settle West German Strike https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/27/world/around-the-world-talks-fail-to-settle-west-german-strike.html 14 October 2024 The New York Times On 7 June, IG Metall proposed a compromise deal in which the work week would be reduced to 37 hours by 1986. The deal was rejected by the auto corporations.8 June 1984 German metalworkers, industry, dig in heels https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/08/German-metalworkers-industry-dig-in-heels/2570455515200/ 14 October 2024 UPI On 20 June, over 12 000 members of the Printing and Paper Union walked off the job in support of the metalworkers' strike, causing cancellation of several morning papers' issues.4 June 1984 Printers join West German strike https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/04/Printers-join-West-German-strike/3745455169600/ 14 October 2024 UPI21 June 1984 Talks resume in strike of Germany metalworkers https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/21/Talks-resume-in-strike-of-Germany-metalworkers/4255456638400/ 14 October 2024 UPI The strike also saw walkouts by members of the Trade, Banking and Insurance Union.17 June 1984 AROUND THE WORLD; 20,000 More Workers Strike in West Germany https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/17/world/around-the-world-20000-more-workers-strike-in-west-germany.html 14 October 2024 The New York Times Resolution On 28 June, negotiators for the two sides and arbitrator Georg Leber announced that a preliminary agreement had been reached. The agreement included a reduction in working hours to 38,5 per week, as well as a 3,3% pay increase in 1984 and a 2% pay increase in 1985.28 June 1984 TENTATIVE ACCORD IS SET IN GERMAN METAL STRIKE https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/28/business/tentative-accord-is-set-in-german-metal-strike.html Tagliabue John 14 October 2024 The New York Times In exchange, unions would lose certain powers over work schedules.1 July 1984 West German Strike Leaves Bitter Legacy https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/07/02/west-german-strike-leaves-bitter-legacy/a5b39edc-eccd-4508-b5c7-99da0cf9041c/ Drozdiak William 9 October 2024 The Washington Post On 2 July, work resumed at Volkswagen factories across West Germany.2 July 1984 Striking West German metalworkers likely to endorse settlement https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/02/Striking-West-German-metalworkers-likely-to-endorse-settlement/4202457588800/ 14 October 2024 UPI Reactions West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl described the demand for a 35-hour work week as "absurd and dumb." Minister of Labour Norbert Blüm stated that the strike risked "catastrophic damage" to the West German economy. Dieter Kirchner, director of the employers' association Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl, stated that the German auto industry had "never yet experienced such a brutal and cynically calculated strike." IG Metall negotiator Ernst Eisenmann accused the auto corporations of "using every means to stay on a confrontation course" during the strike instead of negotiating in good faith. Federal Minister of Economics Martin Bangemann estimated that the strike caused a 1% decrease in the West German GDP during the second quarter of the fiscal year. The German Institute for Economic Research estimated the decrease at 2%.16 August 1984 West German Strikes' Impact https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/16/business/west-german-strikes-impact.html 14 October 2024 The New York Times IG Metall's strike fund decreased by two hundred million dollars as a result of the strike. Aftermath The next nationwide metalworkers' strike in Germany was taken place 11 years later: the 1995 German metalworkers' strike.25 February 1995 GERMANY : Metalworkers' Strike a Test for Economy https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-25-mn-35914-story.html Williams Walsh Mary 13 November 2024 Los Angeles Times References Category:Labour movement in Germany Category:1984 labor disputes and strikes Category:Labour disputes in Germany Category:1984 in West Germany Category:Metalworkers Category:May 1984 in Europe Category:June 1984 in Europe Category:July 1984 in Europe