Gesamtmetall in English

Who we are

Gesamtmetall is the Federation of German Employers' Associations in the Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries (M+E). Founded in 1890, the federation represents the common interests of Germany's largest industrial sector.

Gesamtmetall aims to improve industrial relations and working conditions, and thus the performance of the German M+E industry. This is crucial for creating and securing competitive jobs in Germany. Gesamtmetall speaks for 22 member associations representing more than 7,300 companies and 2.5 million employees.

The federation is headed by its President Dr Stefan Wolf (CEO/Chairman of the Management Board of ElringKlinger AG). Director General is Oliver Zander. Gesamtmetall employs a staff of over 45 at its headquarters in Berlin and its liaison office in Brussels.

Our industry – Facts and Figures

The M+E industry is Germany’s key industrial sector. It generates a turnover of more than 1 trillion euros a year in more than 25,900 companies with a total of around 3.9 million employees.

The companies generate most of their turnover by manufacturing capital goods. Two thirds of products and services are exported. The M+E industry is largely made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. Over two thirds of the companies employ fewer than 100 staff; only two percent have a workforce of over 1000 employees. The largest M+E sectors are mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, electrical engineering, metal-working and the precision mechanics/optics/clocks sector.

What we do

Industrial labour relations

Gesamtmetall analyses the economic climate, devises strategies for collective bargaining, coordinates negotiations with trade unions, provides support in the event of industrial action, and helps companies implement collective-bargaining agreements. But its conceptual work is not limited to bargaining rounds. Gesamtmetall is also continuously working on ways to improve the collective-bargaining system itself.

Social policy

Gesamtmetall voices the M+E industry's positions on social policy at national and European level. The focus is on sustainably financed social security systems and keeping companies’ administrations manageable. Gesamtmetall supplies its member associations with know-how on matters such as old-age provision, health policy and social security. Gesamtmetall is also actively involved in shaping social policy. Examples include the founding of the MetallRente pension fund and a collective agreement that enables employees to use part of their salary for their pension plans.

Education and training

Gesamtmetall is involved in designing and revising job profiles for vocational training. It funds a number of projects to improve training in mathematics and science, and informs the public about working in the M+E industry. Parents, teachers and young people are informed in many ways about jobs, career prospects and the necessary requirements for vocational training in M+E companies.

Public relations

Gesamtmetall formulates and publishes the positions shared by the M+E industry on all important issues. Our messages focus on putting across entrepreneurial positions and explaining the industry’s views. In this context Gesamtmetall seeks the dialog with the media based on mutual trust.

European and international affairs – The Brussels liaison office

Gesamtmetall represents the interests of the M+E industry in all matters of collective bargaining and social policy at the European and international level. Gesamtmetall also provides its member associations with comprehensive information on terms of employing staff abroad.

Gesamtmetall and its members associations are deeply convinced that the European integration as well as the completion of the internal market is not only highly beneficial for the citizens of Europe but also a simple necessity in an exceedingly competitive world. The competence to legislate on social issues remains mainly on national level. Nonetheless, the number of European legislative initiatives in the field of social policy has increased considerably in recent years. These legislations affect the core business of Gesamtmetall and its members associations to a greater extent. In many cases these initiatives represent a serious threat to the competitiveness of our industry and right to free collective bargaining protected by article 9 of the German Basic Law.

Via its Brussels office, Gesamtmetall represents the interests of the German M+E industry vis-à-vis the European institutions. To this end Gesamtmetall collaborates closely with its European umbrella organisation Ceemet and its affiliated associations in 22 countries.

MET Collective bargaining round 2021: Pilot agreement in North Rhine-Westphalia concluded

On 30 March 2021 METALL NRW and IG Metall in North Rhine-Westphalia have agreed on a pilot agreement for the employees of the German Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries.

The negotiations have been conducted in a very exceptional situation. "In this extraordinarily difficult situation, this agreement offers our member companies and our employee’s valuable planning security", the President of METALL NRW, Arndt G. Kirchhoff, emphasized. "The collective agreement contains all the elements of a real compromise. A long-term collective bargaining agreement with an automatic cost relief for companies affected by the crisis, easy-to-implement company options to secure employment and the preservation of entrepreneurial freedom in operational transformation processes”, he added. The agreement has a minimum runtime until 30 September 2022.

Gesamtmetall President Dr Stefan Wolf welcomed the agreement and said, "We have found a good solution under the difficult conditions of recession and the Corona pandemic. It's a sign of confidence and good news for our businesses and our employees. We hope that the result found in North Rhine-Westfalia could serve as pilot agreement for our other German bargaining regions."