Workers at Mercedes-Benz and Gestamp in Ludwigsfelde called to strike

Workers at Mercedes-Benz and supplier Gestamp in Ludwigsfelde were called to a two-hour warning strike starting at 8:30 a.m.

at Mercedes-Benz’s south gate.

The call came from IG Metall, the union representing workers in the dispute.

The strike follows a breakdown in the third round of wage talks for the metal and electrical industries in Berlin and Brandenburg.

IG Metall wants a 5% pay rise over 12 months for about 96,000 workers, as well as job and site protections and a profit-sharing scheme for employees and apprentices.

Employers offered a one-time payment next year and a 1.3% pay rise in July 2028, saying industry faces difficult economic conditions.

The union called the offer unacceptable and said it would cut workers’ pay in real terms, as it is below inflation.

The available information does not say when talks will resume or what happens next.