German metalworker union IG Metall has started negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, ahead of the looming threat of a strike in October. 

IG Metall is Germany's largest industrial union, representing nearly four million workers across a range of manufacturing sectors, from the automotive industry to wind turbine production. According to Reuters, the union is pushing for a 7% wage increase over a 12-month period, as well as an additional €170 ($188) per month for new trainees. If a new agreement with isn't reached by October 29, when the previous deal expires, IG Metall says it will call for strikes at any number of facilities with workers represented by the union. 

Talks between IG Metall and Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and a handful of other employers started on September 11, while Volkswagen plans to start its own negotiations with the union on September 25. Volkswagen also finds itself in a precarious position with IG Metall, after the German auto manufacturer ended a labor deal that had protected workers from layoffs for the last 30 years. The labor agreement — which was initially signed in 1994 — was supposed to provide protections through 2029, but included a provision allowing the company to cancel the deal if it gave the union three months notice.