Thousands of Mercedes-Benz workers across Germany are protesting the carmaker's cost-cutting drive, with demonstrations called by the country's largest trade union IG Metall at factory gates in Sindelfingen, Untertürkheim, Rastatt, Bremen, Berlin, Hamburg and Düsseldorf.

The union said the protests mark the start of further action across the auto industry, accusing carmakers and suppliers of focusing on job cuts and relocation rather than real solutions. Around 50,000 jobs were cut in the sector last year, IG Metall noted.

"The employees are not to blame for the crisis," IG Metall said. In a letter to workers, Mercedes-Benz board said the situation in Germany is "dramatic" and the company must keep cutting costs to remain competitive.

As an immediate step, around 90,000 of the company's roughly 108,000 employees in Germany will not receive a collectively agreed special payment in July as expected. The payment, worth 18.4% of a single monthly wage, is to be postponed until next year.

In other news: Firefighters rescued two window cleaners from a faulty suspended platform on a high-rise in Frankfurt am Main. Specialist height rescuers used a winch to pull the men up 11 floors to safety. The fire service said it was believed to be the highest rescue operation in an urban area in Germany.

Customs officials at Berlin Brandenburg Airport seized 16 kilograms of ketamine from a 22-year-old traveler. The drug was found hidden among clothes in his luggage. The man was arrested and the case handed to the customs investigation office.

Source: www.dw.com