In the collective bargaining dispute in retail, warning strikes will take place again on Friday, according to plans by the Verdi union. Nationwide, around 10,000 employees are expected to stop working, the union announced on Thursday. It’s not just about retail, but also about wholesale and foreign trade. There should be regional rallies and other actions. Warning strikes had already taken place in some places in recent months, but the consequences for consumers were limited.
In the protracted struggle for new collective agreements, both sides cannot reach a common denominator. Verdi accuses the employers of a “blockade attitude”. The union complains that their offers ignored the livelihood needs of the employees. Employers, on the other hand, point to the difficult economic situation of the companies.
Verdi is demanding 2.50 euros more wages and salaries per hour in retail for a collective agreement valid for 12 months. According to their own information, the employers are offering a total increase of 8.5 percent in two steps with a contract term of 24 months. Because of the deadlocked collective bargaining dispute, the trade association recently recommended that companies increase wages by 5.3 percent even without a collective agreement – this extra money should then be taken into account when a contract is concluded. (dpa)