Verdi's Holiday Season Threat: Strikes on the Horizon for Retail Employees
The holiday shopping season is typically a time of joy and festivity, but this year, an unusual threat looms over retail workers: strikes by Verdi, a powerful German trade union. Verdi is upset with the employers' refusal to meet their demands for better pay and working conditions, and they've made it clear that they're willing to take action if no agreement is reached.
The union, led by Frank Werneke, has been advocating for a 2.50 euro hourly wage increase in the retail and mail order sectors, as well as a 13% wage increase in wholesale and foreign trade, amounting to at least 400 euros per month. Employers, however, are only offering a 10% wage increase over a two-year period, which Werneke deems inadequate.
Werneke accused the employers of trying to "push through a collective bargaining dictate," labeling their offer as disrespectful towards employees and their union. He expressed strong dissatisfaction with the proposed increase, which would only result in an hourly wage hike of 1.04 euros for a sales assistant, and the lack of full-time positions in the sector.
The service union chairman warned that no agreement was foreseeable, and strikes during the Christmas and post-Christmas period were possible if negotiations failed. Werneke asserted, "We can't get along like this. We won't put up with being dictated to by employers."
Despite the ongoing dispute, it's important to note that the strikes are primarily focused on mail and package delivery services, and they're not directly impacting the Christmas shopping season. However, the disruptions in mail delivery could indirectly affect the efficiency of mail order deliveries.
Verdi has been conducting warning strikes at various Deutsche Post mail centers across Germany. These strikes, which are aimed at pressuring management for better working conditions and compensation, have been causing delays in mail delivery. The strikes have impacted services in cities like Heilbronn, Mannheim, Freiburg, Offenburg, Cologne, Bonn, Hagen, and Siegen.
Negotiations between Verdi and Deutsche Post are set to resume on February 12. However, the employers have expressed concerns over the financial feasibility of the proposed salary increases, citing a decline in traditional mail volumes in the digital age and significant investment requirements.
Customers expecting urgent mail during the holiday season may experience delays due to the strike actions. However, the immediate impact on delivery services is expected to be limited, as postal workers will continue their duties with the mail already stacked at delivery points.
As the situation continues to unfold, it will be interesting to see if Verdi and the employers can reach an agreement before the holiday season arrives. In the meantime, customers and retail workers alike will be keeping a close eye on developments.
