The first collective bargaining negotiations at Rolls-Royce Solutions last Friday represent a historic moment on the road to a collective agreement. The employees, primarily engineers and developers, work on innovative systems for renewable energies in the capital. Nevertheless, dissatisfaction with working conditions is growing. Since the beginning of 2024, the vast majority of employees have organised themselves in IG Metall and are actively fighting for their rights. In December, the collective bargaining demands were drawn up and a collective bargaining committee was elected. "The colleagues at Rolls-Royce Solutions have organised themselves in IG Metall at an incredible pace and are now demanding fair working conditions that are appropriate for the industry. The first round of negotiations was a good start, but it is also clear that we will not get the collective agreement for free and still have a lot of work ahead of us", says Jan Brauburger, Trade Union Secretary at IG Metall Berlin.

Criticism of pay system and working conditions 

A key issue in the negotiations is the pay system, which many employees feel is non-transparent and unfair. Martin Krauß, Chairman of the Works Council and member of the IG Metall bargaining committee, emphasises: "Our wage development has been lagging behind that of companies bound by collective agreements for a long time. We are calling for the introduction of the framework collective agreement for IT services so that we can become competitive again in terms of pay, working conditions and, above all, working hours."

In addition, there are other challenges such as a reduction in working hours from the current 40-hour week, the compatibility of family and career and the return from mobile work to office work, which are causing additional discontent. While many other Rolls-Royce sites are already covered by collective agreements, the Berlin site is not yet bound by one, which is an additional source of annoyance for many employees. 

Eva, member of the IG Metall  bargaining committee: "One of our core demands is the additional pay under the collective agreement, with the option of converting the money into up to eight days off. We are demanding this flexibility for our site, which already applies to our colleagues in Friedrichshafen, for example. Especially for parents and colleagues who care for their relatives, this flexibility is often the difference they need to decide in favour of an employer."

Some colleagues have already worked in companies that are bound by collective agreements and would like to introduce these fair working conditions in Berlin as well. The majority of employees are therefore in favour of the introduction of a collective agreement and see it as an important step towards better working conditions. 

Sabrina Lamers, Trade Union Secretary at IG Metall Berlin: "In my work as a trade union secretary, where I work with employees from the IT sector, I have observed that despite the ‘new world of work’, which is characterised by digitalisation and globalisation, the needs of employees remain the same: Transparency, fairness, co-determination - these values are united by the collective agreement. Employers often try to devalue this as a poor working culture or a loss of performance, when in fact employees are fighting to stay in their company and to improve the working atmosphere and the end product. Many skilled workers could also make it easy for themselves and leave because the job market is in their favour."

Collective agreement as a goal 

Since 2024, the movement within the workforce has intensified. IG Metall and its members on the works council are actively campaigning for better working conditions and binding collective bargaining. The upcoming negotiations in spring 2025 are eagerly awaited. In addition to the introduction of a transparent and fair remuneration system via the framework collective agreement for IT services, the employees at Rolls-Royce Solutions are demanding 

• The introduction of the collectively agreed additional payment with the option of converting the special payment into up to 8 days off 
• Improved conditions for applying for mobile working 
• Opportunities for mobile working from abroad
• A location and employment guarantee until December 2029

Nelson Murandu, Deputy Chairman of the Works Council and member of the IG Metall collective bargaining committee, commented: "We are convinced that we are in a forward-looking industry that offers long-term prospects for everyone involved. Our division is one of the most important areas in the company. We therefore expect the management to give us the necessary assurances so that we can continue our work successfully from this location. This will give our employees the security they need to plan their future in Berlin."

Works meeting on 18 March: the majority demands a collective agreement 

A works meeting will be held on 18 March at which a petition will be presented. This petition will express the clear desire of the majority of the workforce for a collective labour agreement with the required conditions. The employees are clearly signalling that they stand behind IG Metall and are prepared to increase the pressure on the employers. 

If no agreement is reached, they are prepared to back up their demands with a possible warning strike in order to achieve better pay and working conditions.