٠٠:٠٣:٤٠Hundreds of Bosch factory workers took to the streets of the German city of Bamberg on Tuesday to demand better working conditions and higher pay.
Footage shows protesters blowing into whistles while marching with union flags and banners. Protesters can also be seen listening to speeches while rallying outside the plant.
"At Bosch, the managers are failing and the employees, you, are the ones to pay the price. It's not the fault of VW employees that they are too stupid to build software for cars. It's not their fault that this company has decided to focus solely on electromobility and not offer anything else," said Martin Feder, First representative of IG Metall Bamberg.
The demonstration is part of a nationwide metal and electric industry workers strike organised by German trade union IG Metall. The union is demanding a 7 percent wage increase over 12 months.
"We want to send a clear signal to employers that what is currently on the table is far from adequate," said the Works Council Chairman for Bosch Bamberg, Mario Gutmann.
This comes as the EU recently imposed new tariffs on Chinese EVs - saying 'unfair' state subsidies were distorting the market - despite huge pressure from the German government and fears of retaliatory measures from Beijing.
China has called the EU's efforts "unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable protectionist practices".
"Of course China is also a competitor for us," a protester commented. "There's no question about that, but we beat China with quality and we have certain customers who are specifically looking for products from the Bamberg plant who do not want products from China and that is simply due to quality and this quality must be paid for."
Another added: "We don't want working conditions like in China, our beds are at home and not in the company, and I think it's in everyone's head that Germany is not China and it should stay that way. Nobody wants to have Chinese working conditions in Europe and Germany."
Workers reportedly stopped work for four and a half hours. Those working the evening shift also plan to take to the streets, ending work four hours early, while the night shift will go on a warning strike for the entire eight-hour shift.
IG Metall is calling for an increase in monthly wages, arguing that it was necessary to stimulate purchasing power and with it, the economy.
The third session of collective bargaining is underway and has not brought progress. Employers have so far stuck to their offer of a 1.7 percent wage increase, starting from July 2025, followed by a further 1.9 per cent from July 2026 - for a period of 27 months, i.e. until the end of 2026.
IG Metall is determined to push for a change in the situation and has threatened to continue industrial action and increase pressure on the employers.
The union has previously developed an eleven-point plan to support the country's industrial sector. Among its demands are investments in innovation, infrastructure and energy.
Germany's largest metals and electrical engineering union IG Metall has around 3.9 million members. It is demanding the highest pay rise in thirty years, citing spiralling inflation and a loss of purchasing power.
'Managers are failing!' - Hundreds of Bosch workers rally for higher pay, better working conditions in Bamberg
Hundreds of Bosch factory workers took to the streets of the German city of Bamberg on Tuesday to demand better working conditions and higher pay.
Footage shows protesters blowing into whistles while marching with union flags and banners. Protesters can also be seen listening to speeches while rallying outside the plant.
"At Bosch, the managers are failing and the employees, you, are the ones to pay the price. It's not the fault of VW employees that they are too stupid to build software for cars. It's not their fault that this company has decided to focus solely on electromobility and not offer anything else," said Martin Feder, First representative of IG Metall Bamberg.
The demonstration is part of a nationwide metal and electric industry workers strike organised by German trade union IG Metall. The union is demanding a 7 percent wage increase over 12 months.
"We want to send a clear signal to employers that what is currently on the table is far from adequate," said the Works Council Chairman for Bosch Bamberg, Mario Gutmann.
This comes as the EU recently imposed new tariffs on Chinese EVs - saying 'unfair' state subsidies were distorting the market - despite huge pressure from the German government and fears of retaliatory measures from Beijing.
China has called the EU's efforts "unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable protectionist practices".
"Of course China is also a competitor for us," a protester commented. "There's no question about that, but we beat China with quality and we have certain customers who are specifically looking for products from the Bamberg plant who do not want products from China and that is simply due to quality and this quality must be paid for."
Another added: "We don't want working conditions like in China, our beds are at home and not in the company, and I think it's in everyone's head that Germany is not China and it should stay that way. Nobody wants to have Chinese working conditions in Europe and Germany."
Workers reportedly stopped work for four and a half hours. Those working the evening shift also plan to take to the streets, ending work four hours early, while the night shift will go on a warning strike for the entire eight-hour shift.
IG Metall is calling for an increase in monthly wages, arguing that it was necessary to stimulate purchasing power and with it, the economy.
The third session of collective bargaining is underway and has not brought progress. Employers have so far stuck to their offer of a 1.7 percent wage increase, starting from July 2025, followed by a further 1.9 per cent from July 2026 - for a period of 27 months, i.e. until the end of 2026.
IG Metall is determined to push for a change in the situation and has threatened to continue industrial action and increase pressure on the employers.
The union has previously developed an eleven-point plan to support the country's industrial sector. Among its demands are investments in innovation, infrastructure and energy.
Germany's largest metals and electrical engineering union IG Metall has around 3.9 million members. It is demanding the highest pay rise in thirty years, citing spiralling inflation and a loss of purchasing power.
Hundreds of Bosch factory workers took to the streets of the German city of Bamberg on Tuesday to demand better working conditions and higher pay.
Footage shows protesters blowing into whistles while marching with union flags and banners. Protesters can also be seen listening to speeches while rallying outside the plant.
"At Bosch, the managers are failing and the employees, you, are the ones to pay the price. It's not the fault of VW employees that they are too stupid to build software for cars. It's not their fault that this company has decided to focus solely on electromobility and not offer anything else," said Martin Feder, First representative of IG Metall Bamberg.
The demonstration is part of a nationwide metal and electric industry workers strike organised by German trade union IG Metall. The union is demanding a 7 percent wage increase over 12 months.
"We want to send a clear signal to employers that what is currently on the table is far from adequate," said the Works Council Chairman for Bosch Bamberg, Mario Gutmann.
This comes as the EU recently imposed new tariffs on Chinese EVs - saying 'unfair' state subsidies were distorting the market - despite huge pressure from the German government and fears of retaliatory measures from Beijing.
China has called the EU's efforts "unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable protectionist practices".
"Of course China is also a competitor for us," a protester commented. "There's no question about that, but we beat China with quality and we have certain customers who are specifically looking for products from the Bamberg plant who do not want products from China and that is simply due to quality and this quality must be paid for."
Another added: "We don't want working conditions like in China, our beds are at home and not in the company, and I think it's in everyone's head that Germany is not China and it should stay that way. Nobody wants to have Chinese working conditions in Europe and Germany."
Workers reportedly stopped work for four and a half hours. Those working the evening shift also plan to take to the streets, ending work four hours early, while the night shift will go on a warning strike for the entire eight-hour shift.
IG Metall is calling for an increase in monthly wages, arguing that it was necessary to stimulate purchasing power and with it, the economy.
The third session of collective bargaining is underway and has not brought progress. Employers have so far stuck to their offer of a 1.7 percent wage increase, starting from July 2025, followed by a further 1.9 per cent from July 2026 - for a period of 27 months, i.e. until the end of 2026.
IG Metall is determined to push for a change in the situation and has threatened to continue industrial action and increase pressure on the employers.
The union has previously developed an eleven-point plan to support the country's industrial sector. Among its demands are investments in innovation, infrastructure and energy.
Germany's largest metals and electrical engineering union IG Metall has around 3.9 million members. It is demanding the highest pay rise in thirty years, citing spiralling inflation and a loss of purchasing power.