[pjmlp]

In Europe though, usually European unions apply to everyone on a specific sector, regardless of what they do in the building.

I enjoyed many years the agreements of IG Metal in the telecommunications and life sciences sectors, as software engineer.

[MandieD]

IG Metall is excellent, and I highly recommend working for companies whose employment contracts were negotiated by them - that would be a lot of “traditional” German industrial firms. When layoffs happen, you find out over a year in advance, usually two or three.

I got my dues’ worth in just the agreement they quickly got to during the post-COVID inflation to adjust our wages. Of course, I would have still gotten it had I not been a member, but it takes people willing to be members to make them (us!) strong enough that employers take them (us!) very seriously.

Oh, and the pay is way better than a lot of IT consultancies here, not to mention the hours and general working conditions.