The German Metal Industry Federation IG Metall announced on May 3th that ThyssenKrupp’s workers protested the company's plans to merge its European operations with Indian steel giant Tata Steel, and asked that ThyssenKrupp clearly divide its future work. ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel have been discussing strategic cooperation programs since last year.

IG Metall says the merger plans to put 15% of 27,000 jobs in the current European business face unemployment risk. Meanwhile, ThyssenKrupp also plans to reduce the cost of € 500 million over the next three years by cutting labor and closing production facilities.