After intensive, constructive negotiations with the IG Metall, the management presented the new, collectively agreed BLANK wage system (BEST) at a staff meeting on 11 March 2022. "The aim during the 14-month drafting process was to develop a remuneration system that is fair and performance-related," says Alexander Lenert, Managing Director at BLANK, "In addition, it was important to us to maintain remuneration components, such as the BLANK-Bonus, which gives employees a share in the company's success, also in the future." Beside this important aspect, regulations on protection against old-age redundancy and on old-age income protection were also included in the remuneration system.

“In order to continue to give high priority to training, it was also important to find regulations for trainees and students at the collective wage level. In the end, we even signed a separate in-house collective agreement with IG Metall,” reports project manager Naike Nassal.

In the coming months, the task now is to gradually introduce the agreed in-house collective agreement. "A first step in this process is the evaluation of all activities in the company to classify the jobs. This will be carried out together with a joint committee of employer and employees. We look forward to a further trustful cooperation and are sure that we will be able to work out a very good result for all persons involved."