MUNICH — (MunichNOW News) — Today in Bavaria, for the first time in over two decades, steel workers (including the automotive industry) will lay down their tools for a 24 hour strike. It has been much longer in other German states since workers chose to walk off their jobs.

The support for IG Metall is strong amongst the workers, with some estimates as high as 75% of the workers supporting a prolonged work stoppage.

BMW has had record profits over the past three years, and even VW, which has been embroiled in scandals involving diesel engines has managed to weather the storm and turn healthy numbers in both units sold and profit.
Both sides appear to be entrenched, however, the recent diesel testing scandal and the enormous profits of the last few years may have thrown a monkey wrench into the automotive industries’ negotiating positions