Trade expert Thomas Roeb believes the effects of the warning strikes in retail announced by the Verdi union for next week are manageable. Nevertheless, he advises consumers to bring forward their Christmas shopping. “I advise all consumers to make their purchases in good time and not just before Christmas. Better safe than sorry.”
However, Roeb, who works at the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, expects strike-related restrictions in ongoing business in the week before Christmas at best in the short term and in isolated cases. He assumes that the food retail sector will be less affected than other areas.
Stefan Genth, general manager of the German Trade Association (HDE), also does not expect any major effects. In previous work stoppages, retail companies had shown that they could keep the impact on customers as low as possible. “The retailer’s customers are therefore assured of their usual Christmas shopping.”
In the deadlocked collective bargaining in the retail sector, the Verdi union called for warning strikes from Thursday to Saturday before Christmas. “Anyone who wants to prevent strikes immediately before Christmas Eve must return to the negotiating table,” said Verdi boss Frank Werneke on Friday. “We call on employers to finally live up to their social responsibility.” The employees have been waiting for a collective agreement for months.
Verdi is demanding, among other things, at least 2.50 euros more per hour in retail in all regions and a term of the collective agreement of one year. Depending on the federal state, there are additional requirements. The employers recently offered ten percent more plus an inflation compensation bonus with a term of 24 months.
According to Verdi, around 3.1 million people are employed in retail and 1.9 million in wholesale and foreign trade. (dpa)