IG Metall salary: frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions about the ERA pay, special payments and how your annual salary is calculated.
What makes up my annual salary under the IG Metall agreement?
Your annual salary consists of twelve monthly payments (base salary plus Leistungszulage) plus the collectively agreed special payments: T-Zug A, T-Zug B, the transformation payment, holiday pay and Christmas pay. The calculator breaks down each component.
What is the ERA pay and how does the Leistungszulage work?
The ERA pay is the base salary of your pay grade as set in the tariff table. On top comes the Leistungszulage, a percentage supplement whose plant average sits regionally between roughly 6 and 15 percent. Apprentices receive no Leistungszulage.
What does the Eckentgelt mean?
The Eckentgelt is the base salary of a full-time employee after one year of service. It is the anchor of the ERA table: every other pay grade is defined as a percentage above or below the Eckentgelt.
How do T-Zug A and T-Zug B differ?
T-Zug A equals 27.5 percent of the monthly salary including the Leistungszulage and can be converted into eight free days by employees with children or on shift work. T-Zug B is calculated as a percentage of the Eckentgelt – without the Leistungszulage – and has grown over the years from 12.3 to 26.5 percent.
How high are holiday pay and Christmas pay?
Holiday pay is about 69 percent of a monthly income (2.4 percent per holiday day; 72 percent in NRW). Christmas pay is staggered by tenure, rising from 25 percent by 10 percentage points per year up to a maximum of 55 percent.
Does the calculator cover all regions?
Yes. The calculator covers all 15 IG Metall regions – from Baden-Württemberg via North Rhine-Westphalia to the northern coast. Just pick your region and pay grade. The pay scales are also available in the pay-scales section.
From when does the current pay scale apply?
The currently stored pay scale "ab 01.04.2026" applies from 1 April 2026. It is based on the settlement of 14. November 2024. Older and upcoming tables are reachable via the bargaining-rounds page.
Which regions (Tarifgebiete) exist?
IG Metall negotiates the metal and electrical industry across 15 regions, including Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hessen, Niedersachsen, Berlin and the northern coastal regions. Each region has its own pay values and sometimes its own step system.
Does the calculator show gross or net?
The salary calculator shows the gross tariff salary and, in addition, a net estimate based on your tax settings. How much remains net depends on your tax class, church tax, federal state and social insurance – you configure these in the Gross/Net mode. The result is an estimate and not tax advice.
Does the tariff rise keep up with inflation?
Not fully. The ERA tariff table has risen substantially in nominal terms since 2018, but consumer prices rose more – especially during the pay freeze until 2023, when the table stayed unchanged through the inflation peak. That left a real loss of purchasing power. Grown special payments such as T-Zug B soften it when measured against annual gross pay, but do not cancel it. Individual promotions or tenure steps sit outside this table-level view.
More detail in the guide: All guide articles