In the collective bargaining dispute in the retail sector that has been deadlocked for months, employers want to reach an agreement with a pilot round next Thursday in Hamburg. After more than 60 unsuccessful collective bargaining rounds in the various collective bargaining areas and an unsuccessful top-level meeting, the leading association HDE offered the Verdi union a negotiation date on December 28th in Hamburg. This is the “last opportunity for an agreement this year,” according to a statement from the German Trade Association (HDE) on Thursday in Berlin.
The tariff conflict in retail has been going on 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 one year. Depending on the federal state, there are additional requirements. At the end of November, representatives met at a top-level meeting at the federal level, but this ultimately did not lead to any progress.
According to the HDE, the basis for the negotiations should be a current offer that was last improved in November. Accordingly, the employers are offering a tariff increase of a total of 10.24 percent over the offered term of 24 months. In addition, the offer includes an inflation compensation bonus of 750 euros and a minimum wage according to the collective agreement. “This offer is only guaranteed until December 31, 2023,” is an ultimatum from the employers.
According to HDE, the offer contains all the components that are needed for a short-term collective bargaining agreement, which, according to HDE collective bargaining manager Steven Haarke, is increasingly being confirmed by the workforce and even by members of the Verdi negotiating commission. “The background is certainly the growing concern that negotiations will take place under new circumstances in the new year,” said Haarke. “The employees realize that some companies will look for their own solutions, that collective bargaining policy could remain unresolved in 2023 and that, with falling inflation, the previous offer in this form is no longer available.”
The Verdi federal executive board has called on retail employees to take strike action between Thursday and Saturday. The regional associations are now planning very differently based on this call. The numerous warning strikes in recent months did not generally lead to branch closures. Here and there shelves in stores remained empty for a long time. It initially remained unclear what effects the actions on the days immediately before Christmas would have. (dpa)