Abstract

This case is about IG Metall Trade Union (IG Metall), one of the oldest and largest trade unions in Germany. Since 1949, IG Metall had played an important role in German labor relations and was considered by many as the pioneer in collective bargaining in Germany. Over the years, IG Metall has made significant contributions to the industrial relations climate in Germany. But it has also been accused of improper protection and harming the interests of workers and employees. With the advent of globalization and modernization in Germany and Europe, IG Metall, with its traditional and inflexible views on labor relations, began to face a crisis in terms of decline in membership and bargaining power. The achievements and accusations present a contrasting and interesting picture of a trade union in a changing business environment.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the issue of trade union activism in Germany
• Understand the challenges faced by a large trade union on account of the change in the economic environment and attitudes of workers.

Keywords

IG Metall Trade Union, German Economy, Gesamtmetall, Liberalization, Collective Bargaining, European Central Bank, Employer Labor Relations, Blue Collar and White Collar Workers, Labor Reforms, German Confederation of Trade Unions, Unemployment, Ver.di, Work Councils, Globalization