IG Metall has sharply criticized Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche (CDU), regarding her forecasts on the development of electricity prices. Jürgen Kerner, Vice-Chief of IG Metall, told the “Rheinische Post” (Thursday edition) that if electricity prices are only expected to fall in the 2030s, and even then only gradually, “then something is seriously wrong today.”
Kerner further stated that such a scenario would mean thousands of high-quality jobs would be destroyed and numerous companies would cease to exist, leading to a sustainable weakening of the industrial sector. The union official expressed his irritation that the Minister made this projection so calmly, emphasizing that she bears the responsibility for the situation.
According to IG Metall, to maintain competitiveness, the industry requires a reliable electricity price of five cents per kilowatt-hour, and it needs this pricing immediately. They argue that the Industrial Electricity Price, as it is currently structured, is far from meeting the actual demands of the industry, and the Minister must rework her approach.
