More than 413,000 workers in the metal and electrical industries in Germany participated in warning strikes by the trade union IG Metall. A large-scale wave of protests affected 3,800 factories throughout the country.
Temporary shutdowns of machinery and demonstrations affected factories with major concerns, including Audi, Mercedes-Benz, B. from. Woo, Porsche and Volkswagen. One of the focal points was the Audi factory in Kersholm, where 6,500 people went out to gather against the closing of the sites and the reduction of the capacity of the German automobile industry.
The IG Metall union insists on a 5% wage increase for a period of 12 months, as well as solid guarantees for job security and investment in the modernization of local production.