Overview

• Workers would receive a 1.75% pay increase starting in January 2026 under a contract running through December 31, 2026.
• Apprentice pay rises by €75 per month, and agreements on employment protection, subcontracting and phased retirement are extended.
• The settlement preserves options to reduce weekly hours to 28 with partial pay compensation and to use working-time accounts.
• IG Metall announced the result after a late-night fourth round as the peace obligation expired and warning strikes were prepared.
• Employers said the cost strains companies but provides 2026 planning certainty, while the deal awaits approval by IG Metall bodies and separate talks continue for about 8,000 eastern workers before a Saarland round in mid-November.