German building workers strike

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday June 21, 2002 00:38 by hs - socialist party

THOUSANDS OF building workers downed tools and walked off sites throughout Germany to demand a 4.5% pay rise. The strikers are also demanding a rise in the minimum pay rate for workers in the former Eastern Germany. The strike called by the 900,000-strong IG Bau union is the country's first construction workers strike since 1945 and follows a series of labour strikes in recent weeks. As reported in The Socialist (Issues 254/255) the metalworkers' trade union, IG Metall, launched a rolling regional programme of strikes over pay. Eventually, a 22-month deal was agreed by the union's leadership which fell short of the union's official demand for a 6.5% pay rise. The strike is significant as it follows a massive 98% vote for action by union members and comes at a time of severe recession in the construction industry. The strike also comes just three months ahead of the general election, much