The Verdi union is expanding its warning strikes in retail, wholesale and foreign trade. Companies and companies across the entire retail sector in all federal states are affected today and Friday, the union announced.
“In Kiel today, around 200 retail employees, mainly from Schleswig-Holstein, took part in a demonstration. We are not the nation’s cheap-sellers,” said Verdi board member Silke Zimmer at the final rally. “In a collective bargaining round in retail, it’s not just about percentages, it’s about recognition, it’s about appreciation.”
The union wants a quick collective agreement, said Zimmer. This must do justice to the performance of the employees. “Above all, we don’t want any further loss of real wages because we simply no longer know how to finance our daily lives.”
Almost two thirds of all retail employees only have a part-time job, said Zimmer. “And every time you have to rely on the house manager or the branch manager to come out for a few more hours.”
A wage increase of seven percent was required
The union is demanding – with varying emphasis in the 16 collective bargaining areas in retail and the 20 collective bargaining areas in wholesale and foreign trade – a wage increase of seven percent, but at least 225 euros more per month, for a term of twelve months.
According to Verdi, employers in wholesale and foreign trade proposed a wage increase of a total of 3.4 percent starting from the month after the collective agreement was concluded, but with a term that was twice as long – which halved the increase.
In the retail sector, the employer’s offer only provides for a pay increase of two percent after six months without any increase, then after another three months without an increase of 1.5 percent, also with a term of 24 months.
Nationwide warning strikes
Verdi had called for nationwide warning strikes in the collective bargaining round for more than five million retail employees. In Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, shops were closed on Thursday anyway because of Corpus Christi.
The German Trade Association (HDE) had declared before the warning strikes that it did not expect any noticeable effects for customers as a result of the strike actions. The companies are well prepared and the internal processes are well-established.