Austria's metalworkers strike for more pay

More than half of Austria's metalworkers went on strike Friday, in support of demands for a wage increase of 5.5 per cent, according to dpa.Some 100,000 workers joined the protest, including those employed by Voestalpine, Austria's biggest steel maker, according to the metalworkers union.It was the first time in 25 years that there has been a strike in the metals industry.The union had decided on the step after a second unsuccessful round of talks with employers, who are offering 3.65 per cent. Austria's 185,000 metalworkers have received only minor increases in real terms in recent years. They are demanding compensation for inflation, and also a share in recent productivity increases.