Kabelwerk Meißen: Departure with new contracts and a breath of fresh air!

Kabelwerk Meißen: Departure with new contracts and a breath of fresh air!

In the traditional cable factory in Meißen, which can now look back on an impressive 150-year history, the signs point to change and new beginnings. Since September 2024, Kai Kubatzky has been the new managing director of the company, which has been owned by Helukabel, an internationally active family business, since 2012. In the past three years, the cable factory has invested double-digit millions in modernization, with management restructuring playing a central role. The workforce of around 160 employees hopes to attract new skilled workers through improved working conditions and involvement in operational decisions.

But the last few years haven't always been easy. Works council chairman Knut Reiche reports great dissatisfaction among the workforce, especially in view of strikes in 2020 and 2021, which were intended to highlight inadequate working conditions and low wages. With the new collective bargaining agreement, which was reached in April of this year after intensive negotiations with IG Metall, there now seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. How Sächsische.de reported, a wage increase of 17 percent within 19 months was agreed. In addition, further increases are to follow for 2026, which will noticeably improve the mood in the company.

New perspectives through collective bargaining

The result of collective bargaining not only offers higher incomes, but also more security for employees. Looking back, the works council has named a retroactive pay table from January 1, 2025, with various increases depending on the classification. In addition, the wages in the E5 corner wage group will increase by a good 16 percent. Such measures are intended to help increase the cable company's attractiveness as an employer.

The realignment process also includes a participation process in which employees can actively participate in the changes in the company. This is structured by a steering committee between employer and employee representatives. IG Metall emphasizes that the recognition of the need for constructive cooperation has made a decisive contribution to the positive development of the current collective bargaining round.

Existing challenges

Nevertheless, the cable factory faces considerable challenges. High electricity prices and rising raw material prices, for example for fire retardants, which have risen by 360 percent, are severely affecting the company. In addition, there are always problems with the reliability of deliveries and strong market fluctuations. In this situation, Kubatzky emphasizes the importance of communication at eye level and transparency in order to find a way together through the stormy waters of the industry.

The success story of the cable factory in Meißen is far from over. With an optimistic view of the future and the determination to overcome the challenges, the management team wants to ensure that the company can continue to exist as a key player in cable and wire manufacturing. In times of carbon, a good hand can't hurt!