BAD BREISIG (dpa-AFX) - In the wage negotiations for the German chemical industry, IG BCE and employers have agreed on an additional day off for union members only. This is the first time that exclusive benefits for union members have been stipulated in a large collective agreement in addition to the general salary increases of 6.85 percent. However, they must notify their employer of their membership and receive a second day off for membership anniversaries.

Both sides announced on Thursday that the aim of the agreement is to increase collective bargaining loyalty. Strictly speaking, collective wage agreements generally only apply to union members. However, employers usually apply them to all employees, which has occasionally led to anger about "free riders" who enjoy benefits without paying membership fees to the unions.

In the end, a simple solution was negotiated for the membership bonus, the benefits of which are immediately apparent to people and which does not overburden companies, said IGBCE chief negotiator Oliver Heinrich. "This opens a new chapter in collective bargaining policy." He expressed the hope that companies would now not look for special solutions.

In the ongoing negotiations, the employers had also emphasized that they did not want to divide the workforce. "It is important for us that we do not touch the principle of 'equal pay for equal work'," said BAVC negotiator Matthias Bürk. The bonus is a sign of appreciation and is intended to reward the voluntary commitment of union members in their free time.

The negotiations, in which the employers only presented an offer in the third nationwide round, were under time pressure. The peace obligation would have expired on June 30. After that, warning strikes would have been possible. As it was, protests were held outside of working hours at several large chemical sites with thousands of participants. The parties also continued their arbitration agreement, which was terminated on June 30 and continues to operate without external arbitrators.

The union's demand for a seven percent pay rise was almost met with 6.85 percent in two stages, but was extended over a period of 20 months. The first stage of 2 percent will take effect on September 1, while the second stage will come into force on April 1, 2025. This can be postponed by up to three months in individual companies for economic reasons.

In the negotiations, the employers had described the double crisis situation in the industry and demanded a suitable agreement. The sluggish economy with weak demand and high import pressure is combined with structural disadvantages such as expensive energy, high labor costs and excessive bureaucracy.

However, at least in the important pharmaceutical sub-sector, the signs are pointing to growth again. Orders from North America and Europe in particular boosted sales by just under 5 percent in the first four months, as the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) reported a few days ago. This also compensated for the continued weak business in Germany. Production and prices increased slightly. The further outlook was assessed as stable to positive./ceb/DP/tih