“Completely inadequate offer”
Verdi threatens warning strikes during the Christmas season
December 15, 2023, 7:32 a.m
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Verdi is demanding more money and better conditions for retail workers. The union has not yet found common ground with the employers. The consequence for the last days of the Christmas business: strikes are threatened.
In the collective bargaining dispute in the retail sector, Verdi boss Frank Werneke has threatened strikes in the Christmas business too. “We are ready to negotiate. If the employers are not and there is no agreement, the strikes will continue in the Christmas and post-Christmas business,” said the chairman of the service union of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
Employers would try to “impose a collective bargaining agreement,” Werneke continued. “They present a completely inadequate offer that we should please sign, and they refuse to negotiate. I have rarely experienced such disrespectful behavior towards their own employees and their union. Apparently they are playing for time.” Therefore, no agreement is yet foreseeable.
Among other things, Verdi is demanding 2.50 euros more hourly wages in retail and mail order, and in wholesale and foreign trade the union is demanding 13 percent more wages, but at least 400 euros per month. The term should be twelve months.
Employers are offering wage increases of around ten percent over a period of two years. Verdi boss Werneke rejected this. “According to the offer from employers in the retail sector for 2023, for example, a salesperson would only receive 1.04 euros more per hour, which is far too little,” he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. In addition, a large number of employees would have to work part-time due to a lack of full-time positions available.
“Then, given the price increases in the last two years, it’s not enough,” said Werneke. “We don’t get along like that, we won’t accept dictates from employers.”