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Berlin (dpa / bb) - The industrial union Metall Berlin continues to insist on an alignment of working hours between East and West and has called for a warning strike in the capital for Wednesday.

The employees of the industrial companies Siemens Mobility, GE Power and Thales are to participate.

The former group leader of the Left, Gregor Gysi, is also expected.

The union accuses the companies of paying different salaries depending on the location.

The 38-hour week still applies in the metal and electrical industries in eastern Germany, while in the west this has long been reduced to 35 hours.

"We do not accept this division into better and worse treated employees in our city," said Regina Katerndahl, second representative of IG Metall Berlin, on Tuesday.

"That is why we will repeatedly call on our colleagues to go on warning strikes and actions in the coming days."

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In the collective bargaining of the metal and electrical industry, there had already been a pilot deal in North Rhine-Westphalia at the end of March.

The agreement provides for additional options for a reduction in working hours with partial wage compensation.

In addition, a corona premium of 500 euros was decided.

From the union's point of view, the core of the agreement is what is known as transformation money, which is to be financed through the annual special payments.

It corresponds to a tariff increase of 2.3 percent.

Other regions have already largely adopted the deal.

In the eastern German federal states, however, IG Metall is calling for a solution to the question of harmonizing working hours, which has not been resolved for many years.

The labor court in Leipzig had banned warning strikes in Saxony and Brandenburg last Thursday.

The decision was changed by the state labor court in Chemnitz.

In addition to Berlin, there will also be trade union activities in Brandenburg and Saxony this Wednesday.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210421-99-286906 / 2