Berlin - German trade union IG BCE has raised the prospect of strikes after a second round of wage talks with employers in the chemicals industry ended on Thursday without agreement.
The trade union is demanding a 4.8% pay rise for some 550 0000 employees. IG BCE described an offer by employers for a 1.6% pay increase as a "provocation" and called on members to participate in mass demonstrations.
"1.6% - this is way off the mark," said IG BCE chief negotiator Peter Hausmann in a statement. The next round of talks are due to take place on March 26 and 27 in Stuttgart.