Germany’s biggest industrial union launches campaign of 24-hour strikes

Germany’s largest industrial union has launched a campaign of 24-hour strikes, AP reports. The move came after talks on demands for wage increases and the option of a shorter working week broke down. The IG Metall union called on workers to begin industrial action, starting with the night shift on Tuesday at various companies in regions including the industrial heartlands of Baden-Wurttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia. Companies targeted include truck-maker MAN, the union said on Wednesday. Before talks broke down over the weekend, IG Metall had staged smaller walkouts lasting just a few hours in a bid to exert pressure on employers.