Catherwood LibraryILR School

With a tentative agreement reached in the all important state of Baden-Wurttemberg between German engineering and industrial union IG MEtall and the engineering employers? federation Gesamtmetall (see WIT for May 16, 2002), the remaining pieces of an industry wide agreement are falling into place. Yesterday, the union reached an agreement with employers in the Berlin and Brandenburg region where 1,500 workers went on strike last Friday at the same time a tentative agreement was being reached in Baden-Wurttemberg. As expected, the Berlin/Brandenburg agreement closely mirrors the Baden-Wurttemberg agreement---which will likely also serve as the basis for settlements in such states as Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt where the two sides have yet to come to an agreement.