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.