TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Germany's second largest trade union, Ver.di, called for a nationwide strike on Monday involving public sector workers affecting 13 airports, sanitation, hospitals, and other industries.

According to German broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, TSMC's German chip factory construction is proceeding normally. The size of the chip fab is the equivalent of 40 soccer fields, with two-thirds of earth excavation nearing completion, and will be ready to welcome 1,000 construction workers, per CNA.

The TSMC project is a joint venture involving Bosch, Infineon, and NXP. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in August in an area outside Dresden, Germany, called Silicon Saxony. The facility is expected to be completed and begin production in 2027.

According to MDR, a 24-hour shift system is being used to carry out 500,000 cubic meters of earthwork. Steffen Muller, head of infrastructure and plant management at the joint venture, told German media that the foundation slab pouring work will be completed in the next few weeks.

Muller said the next challenge will be "logistics and scheduling" as the plant is composed of more than 30,000 prefabricated building components. This means that factory components need to be delivered to the right location at the right time.

A dedicated access road to the site will be built to ensure smooth logistics. The road not only ensures smooth delivery of oversized construction materials to the site but also avoids disrupting existing traffic in Silicon Saxony.

In April, a concrete plant will be built on-site to ensure a stable supply of concrete during construction. A site office and a staff restaurant are currently being built to accommodate 1,000 construction workers per day in the next phase of construction.