BERLIN, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Germany's chemical and pharmaceutical industry agreed on two wage hikes of 3.25% each for its workers on Tuesday, one for the beginning of 2023 and the other a year later. While trade union IG BCE had not published a specific demand, the industry, which is among those most heavily affected by surging energy costs, managed to keep the wage agreement well below inflation in the region. German public sector unions this month demanded a 10.5% wage increase, or at least 500 euros more per month, over a year for some 2.5 million workers. The larger metal engineering sector is also in negotiations, with the trade union pushing employers to respond to its demand for 8% higher wages. Workers' purchasing power has already taken a hit, with German consumer price inflation at almost 11% in September.

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