After two months of negotiations and targeted warning strikes, IG Metall and employers in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) have reached an agreement on wages for the wood and plastics industries. Employees in the sector will see their monthly wages rise by a total of 4.2 percent in two stages, along with a one-time payment of 300 euros in April 2026. Companies facing financial challenges may defer this payment in justified cases.
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IG Metall tariff board member Nadine Boguslawski emphasised that the strikes effectively turned the employers' hoped-for zero-round for 2026 into "a null result," highlighting the importance of sustainable wage growth to strengthen workers' purchasing power.
The agreement affects approximately 38,000 employees directly under IG Metall's sector-wide agreements, while the broader wood, furniture, and plastics industries employ around 166,000 people nationwide. Many other companies not directly covered by the agreement are expected to follow its terms, either through in-house agreements or by aligning with the union's settlements. Negotiations in other tariff regions are scheduled to continue from January 20, 2026, as the union and employers aim to expand the wage increase framework across Germany.
Source: www.moebelfertigung.com
