Germany's largest union demands 6-percent increase for steel workers

DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Germany's biggest trade union, IG Metall, on Tuesday demanded a 6 percent wage increase for the 72,000 employees in the steel industry in the north-west of the country, possibly setting a benchmark for millions of workers in Europe's largest economy.

IG Metall, which represents 3.9 million people in the metal working and electrical sectors, also said it had demanded a 1,800 euro ($2,041)holiday bonus, said Knut Giesler, the labour union's chief in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The first round of negotiations is set for Jan. 10.

($1 = 0.8820 euros)

(Reporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff, writing by Joseph Nasr)