(MENAFN- AFP) Nearly 50,000 workers in Germany's manufacturing industry, mostly in the automobile sector, staged warning strikes Tuesday in pursuit of their demands for higher pay, the union IG Metall said.
"Up until 2:00 pm (1300 GMT), nearly 50,000 workers at around 240 sites staged walkouts," IG Metall said in a statement.
More industrial action was planned later on Tuesday.
Many of the strikes were staged in the regional state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with 18,000 employees taking part at 133 sites.
Another 12,000 workers walked out in the southern state of Bavaria, home to German car giant BMW.
IG Metall is demanding pay rises of 5.5 percent for the nearly four million workers in sectors including electronics, the auto industry, household electrical goods and semi-conductors.
The union's pay deals are used as a benchmark for much of German industry.
Employers have offered an increase of 2.2 percent.
Around 70,000 workers previously downed tools last Thursday.
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