DÜSSELDORF/BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - IG Metall is entering the first round of collective bargaining for the north-west German and east German steel industry on Monday with the demand for a 32-hour week with full wage compensation. The first round for the two bargaining districts will take place jointly in Düsseldorf. In addition to the 32-hour week, the union is demanding 8.5 percent more pay.

The steel employers' association "firmly" rejects the demands. According to a position paper, none of the arguments put forward by IG Metall are convincing. The peace obligation ends at the end of November.

"This reduction in working hours would be the start of the 4-day week, which would make it possible in many areas," explained Knut Giesler, district manager of IG Metall NRW and lead negotiator for NRW, at the beginning of September. The union had justified the 8.5 percent demand with the high inflation rate.

IG Metall NRW is conducting the collective bargaining for the steel and iron industry in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen and Lower Saxony with around 68,000 employees. The collective bargaining for the East German steel industry with its 8,000 employees is being conducted by IG Metall Berlin-Brandenburg-Saxony. On the employers' side in both cases is the employers' association Stahl./tob/DP/mis