Members of the IG Metall union at Vestas have voted to accept a collective bargaining agreement, formally ending the industrial action at the wind turbine manufacturer.
The strike lasted for 123 days, one of the longest in the history of IG Metall.
A total of 92% of votes were in favour of accepting the agreement, which includes pay increases, inflation compensation premiums, partial retirement and a new pay structure for service technicians.
A remuneration system will be introduced for service employees and trainees on 1 January, 2024.
For all employees, the wages will increase by 5.4% as of 1 January, 2024. On 1 January, 2025, the wage increases of the 2024 wage round in the metal and electrical industry are to be adopted.
There is also an inflation compensation premium totalling €2750, which will be paid out in two stages on 1 July, 2023 and 1 January, 2024.
Also new is a regulation on partial retirement, comparable to that in the collective agreements in the metal and electrical industry.
IG Metall Coast district manager Daniel Friedrich said: “The clear result shows the unity of the colleagues at Vestas. Together they also took the last step towards a collective agreement.
“You are sending a signal far beyond the company: with solidarity, strength and perseverance, a lot can be achieved – hopefully soon in many other companies in the wind industry that still have some catching up to do with collective agreements.”
IG Metall Rendsburg managing director Martin Bitter added: “We see the great approval of the negotiation result as a vote of confidence in this extraordinary collective bargaining and strike movement. It is also a commitment to the principle of collective bargaining coverage. We now have a good starting point for the further development of collective bargaining standards at Vestas.”