Christiane Benner
German trade unionist
Photo: re:publica from Germany, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- Sep 21
German auto workers stage nationwide protests against job cuts and 40-hour workweek
Over 100,000 employees mobilized across Germany as IG Metall challenged plans by Volkswagen and BMW to cut tens of thousands of jobs and increase weekly working hours without extra pay.
- Jun 22
German pension commission proposes raising retirement age and ending 'Rente mit 63'
A government-appointed commission has recommended raising the retirement age in line with life expectancy and scrapping early retirement without deductions after 45 years of contributions, as part of a package of over 30 proposals to be handed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday.