Collective bargaining dispute Warning strikes at the Post again on Monday and Tuesday
Berlin/Bonn · The trade union Verdi is again calling on the employees of Deutsche Post to strike. If you are waiting for letters and parcels at the beginning of the week, you will have to be patient.
Once again, many letters and parcels in Germany will probably reach their destinations later than usual this week. This is because of further warning strikes announced for Monday and Tuesday by the trade union Verdi in the now ongoing wage dispute with Deutsche Post.
Verdi announced in Berlin that employees across the country are being called to industrial action. The warning strikes would cover selected companies in all work areas - letter and parcel centres as well as delivery. Protest rallies are planned in ten cities.
"This is once again a crystal clear signal to the employers: the workers are ready to fight for their demands and now expect a round of negotiations that ends with a substantial pay rise," said Verdi deputy chairperson and negotiator Andrea Kocsis. She said it was incomprehensible why such a successful company was not prepared to compensate for the real wage losses of the employees as a result of inflation.
The union is demanding 15 per cent more pay for the 160,000 or so employees covered by collective agreements for a contract period of one year. The Post Board rejects the demand as unrealistic. The negotiations will continue in a third round on 8 and 9 February in Düsseldorf. The Post has announced that it will present an offer then.