Demanding a capital stake in a troubled company may seem like an odd thing to do at the height of the worst recession since the second world war, but for German workers it is fast becoming a powerful rallying cry.

The idea of Mitarbeiterbeteiligung – employee participation in either the capital or the profits of their company – is catching on among trade unions and politicians. The move shows that amid the ravages of a brutal downturn, labour representatives, who have traditionally prioritised wage negotiations, are prepared to explore unfamiliar territory.

“Companies are saying to workers: ‘You must put up with this or that.' Well, we're saying, ‘OK, maybe we'll go along with that, but only if we get something in return' – from employment guarantees right up to a stake in the company,” says Berthold Huber, head of IG Metall, Germany's biggest trade union.