With new warning strikes, IG Metall wants to increase the pressure on the German subsidiary of the Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas in the fight for a collective agreement. Nationwide, the union is calling on all employees to stop working for three hours again today. Another warning strike is to follow in the same week, said the union's negotiator, the Rendsburg IG Metall managing director Martin Bitter, the German Press Agency.

The trade union is reacting to the refusal of Vestas Deutschland GmbH (Hamburg) to enter into negotiations on the collective agreement on working conditions and remuneration. A Vestas spokesman said on request: "Vestas is working closely with the works council to implement new packages of measures and initiatives to remain an attractive, modern and competitive employer in Germany. We believe that this approach meets the needs of employees entire workforce. Discussion on further improvements to the works agreement is underway."

Bitter called this a "smoke candle" because talks with the works council are not about binding collective agreements. "The employer sets the price tag," said the trade unionist. The works council has repeatedly signaled to the company that collective bargaining issues are a matter for the union and not for the employee representatives. "The works council says clearly that it wants this to be regulated by the union, and the majority of employees want that too," said Bitter. "That's why we want to up the ante to show we're serious."

According to IG Metall, the conflict affects a total of around 1,700 employees, including 700 fitters who work throughout Germany with the service and maintenance of wind turbines.

IG Metall has long complained that many suppliers to the wind industry, such as machine builders, are traditionally subject to the metal and electrical industry collective agreement. In the case of manufacturers and in the service sector, however, the wind industry has so far largely refused to be bound by collective bargaining agreements.