HANNOVER (dpa-AFX) - The IG BCE trade union is entering the wage negotiations in the private energy industry with the demand for a salary increase of 8.5 percent. However, the union is demanding at least 350 euros more for each employee. This was decided by the IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie wage commission, as announced by the union in Hanover. The new collective agreement for around 30,000 employees in the industry is to run for twelve months.

"This significant increase in pay is absolutely justified by the good economic situation in the industry," said IG-BCE negotiator Holger Nieden in a statement. He demanded that employees should benefit from their hard work and share in the profits that their companies are making.

The first round of negotiations is scheduled for November 21 in Dortmund. According to IG BCE, negotiations will be held together with Verdi for employees of the energy group Eon and the energy companies Avacon, PreussenElektra, Bayernwerk, Westenegie, Edis and EnviaM, which belong to the group, as well as the transmission system operator Tennet./len/DP/mis