Germany: Metalworking social partners agree crisis package

The metalworking industry social partners in the Baden-Württemberg region sign an innovative agreement in mid-April 2009 on short-time working, training and employment, with the aim of dealing with the effects of the economic crisis.

The agreement was concluded by the regional branch of the IG Metall metalworkers' trade union and Südwestmetall, the metal trades employers' association for South-West Germany (bargaining in the German metalworking industry occurs at the level of the individual federal states, with Baden-Württemberg being the most influential).