IG Metall rejects Mercedes-Benz push, warns of worker exploitation

IG Metall Baden‑Württemberg leader Barbara Resch told the press that employees will not be blackmailed into working longer for the same pay. The union’s warning follows Mercedes‑Benz Group’s recent "productivity offensive" that asked staff at German plants to increase output without wage increases.

The proposal sparked protests at several Mercedes sites across Germany. Resch described the situation as a structural crisis driven by overcapacity and competition from Chinese manufacturers, and she urged the automaker to focus on innovation rather than demanding wage concessions from workers.