400,000 strike in Germany over sick pay cuts

Thursday 24 October 1996 23:02 BST

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More than 400,000 car workers, ship-builders and others in Germany's metal-working industries went on strike in protest over sick-pay cuts, the IG Metall union said. The walkouts marked the 40th anniversary of strikes that secured the right to full pay during sickness.

A law passed last month allows employers to pay only 80 per cent. There have been a number of protests in recent weeks but yesterday's demonstrations were the largest so far. The employers' association Gesamtmetall said the strikes threatened Germany's competitiveness. Bonn - AP

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400,000 strike in Germany over sick pay cuts

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