Movement in the railway tariff conflict – probably no warning strikes for the time being
7:25 p.m.: No warning strikes are to be expected in the current week in the current collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Bahn. The Deutsche Bahn and the railway and transport union EVG want to negotiate a solution again from June 12, as both sides announced on Monday evening after a coordination meeting.
“Today the negotiators of DB and EVG met in Frankfurt for a coordination meeting. The confidential conversation was constructive, “said the railway and the railway and transport union EVG. The planned meeting on June 12 will probably take place in Berlin.
The union is currently negotiating with the railways and dozens of other railway companies about higher wages and salaries for a total of around 230,000 employees. The focus is on the negotiations with DB, where a good 180,000 of these employees work.
The union demands from the employers a fixed amount of at least 650 euros per month more or twelve percent for the upper wage brackets. According to their ideas, the term should be twelve months.
During negotiations in Fulda at the end of May, the railways promised a step-by-step increase of twelve percent in the lower wage groups. The middle groups should get a total of ten percent more and the upper groups eight percent. The first stage of the increase should therefore come this year. In addition, there is also a gradual inflation compensation premium totaling 2850 euros, which could be paid tax- and duty-free from this July. The term should be 24 months. The EVG rejected this offer.Pro Bahn demands an emergency timetable from Bahn in the event of new strikes
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Situation in the wage dispute at the railway is deadlocked
Monday, June 05, 2023 at 06:38: The Pro Bahn passenger association has asked Deutsche Bahn to set up an emergency timetable in the event of new strikes. A “minimum offer” would at least prevent travelers from “being stranded,” said the federal chairman of the association, Detlef Neuss, the “Bild” (Friday). On the other hand, the railway and transport union (EVG) is obliged to announce a warning strike in good time. Of course, it would be best if the company and the union continued their negotiations.
The situation in the wage dispute at the railway is deadlocked. The EVG had announced further warning strikes on Wednesday without initially naming a date. On Thursday evening, according to its own statements, it sent a short-term invitation to talks to the railway negotiators in order to possibly avert the strike. It was initially unclear whether the company wanted to respond to the offer of talks.
The railway had previously rejected further negotiations and the submission of a new offer, citing the attitude of the union. The EVG stubbornly insists on its demands and is not willing to compromise, said Human Resources Director Martin Seiler. Negotiations are “pointless”.
The EVG has so far demanded twelve percent more wages for all employees for a twelve-month term, but at least 650 euros more. The railway had offered twelve percent for lower incomes, ten percent for middle incomes and eight percent for higher incomes as well as a tax-free inflation adjustment of a total of 2850 euros, which is to be paid out in stages.
In particular, because there was no promise of a minimum increase from which those on lower incomes would benefit, the union rejected the offer. The EVG also criticized the term of 24 months now offered by Deutsche Bahn as still too long.
Union calls for warning strikes in the Berlin confectionery industry
Sunday, June 4, 3:42 p.m.: Employees in five Berlin confectionery companies laid down their work on Monday. The food, beverages and restaurants trade union (NGG) called for the warning strike in order to put pressure on employers in the current wage round.
For the approximately 60,000 industry employees nationwide, the union demands 500 euros more per month in the lower wage groups, in the other 400 euros more, and for trainees 200 euros more per month. “The employers’ offer to increase wages by only 3.8 percent in 2023 and 2.9 percent in 2024 does in no way do justice to the precarious situation of many employees,” explained the managing director of the NGG region Berlin-Brandenburg , Sebastian Riesner, on Sunday.
The companies have recently increased their sales massively, he argued. “Nevertheless, they want to fob the employees off with peanuts. The anger in the factories is huge, and that’s no wonder.” According to the union, the warning strike begins early Monday morning at 4:30 a.m. In four plants, only the early shift is affected, in the Bahlsen plant on Oberlandstraße in Tempelhof work should be suspended all day. Employees from all five companies also meet there in the morning for a meeting. A total of around 1,200 people work in the five companies.
According to the NGG, warning strikes are also planned in other federal states on Monday, for example in Lower Saxony and Thuringia. In mid-May, the union announced a nationwide “warning strike” in June.
union resigns warning strikes at Bahlsen
Saturday, June 03, 3:30 p.m.: In the collective bargaining dispute in the confectionery industry, the Food, Pleasure and Restaurant Union (NGG) has announced warning strikes at the luxury goods manufacturer Bahlsen in Varel (Friesland district). According to the Oldenburg NGG managing director Matthias Brümmer on Saturday, work in the Varel plant is to be stopped on Monday morning with the start of the early shift. 247 employees make biscuits there.
“There is no crisis in the confectionery industry, only sales records,” said Brümmer. The employees wanted their fair share of this. Because of the record prices in the supermarkets, skyrocketing rents and fuel prices, the financial worries are huge.
The union NGG is currently negotiating with the Federal Association of the Confectionery Industry about higher wages for the approximately 60,000 employees in the industry. According to their own statements, the union wants to increase the pressure with a Germany-wide warning strike after two unsuccessful rounds of negotiations. Around 50 companies are to be struck across Germany in June.
The employer offer so far provides for wages to be increased by 3.8 percent in 2023 and by 2.9 percent in 2024. That does not do justice to the precarious situation of many employees, criticized Brümmer.
The union demands 500 euros more per month in the lower wage groups, 400 euros more in the other groups, and 200 euros more per month for trainees.
EVG: threat of strike suspended for the time being – talks with the railways earlier this week
7:41 p.m.: The railway and transport union (EVG) has suspended its threat to strike for the time being. A union spokesman told the AFP news agency on Friday that Deutsche Bahn had agreed to hold small-scale talks early next week. Until then there will be no strikes, but the preparations for a possible labor dispute “are continuing”.
The EVG had announced further warning strikes on Wednesday without initially naming a date. She named next Monday as the earliest possible date. On Thursday evening, according to her own statements, she then sent a short-term invitation to talks to the railway’s negotiators, which, according to the EVG spokesman, accepted.
The railway had initially rejected further negotiations and the submission of a new offer, citing the attitude of the union. The EVG stubbornly insists on its original requirements and is not willing to compromise, said HR director Martin Seiler. Negotiations are “pointless”.
The union spokesman rejected this representation. It was completely clear that the initial demand in the collective bargaining would not ultimately correspond to the result. But more movement is needed in terms of salary, especially for those on lower incomes.
The EVG has so far demanded twelve percent more wages for all employees and at least 650 euros more for a twelve-month term. The lower income groups would benefit from such a minimum increase. The railway has so far offered a purely percentage increase of twelve percent for lower, ten percent for middle and eight percent for higher incomes as well as a tax-free inflation adjustment of a total of 2850 euros.
The EVG is also particularly upset by the offered term of 24 months in the Deutsche Bahn offer. She insists on a term of twelve months.
Warning strikes in Bavarian retail continue
06.40 a.m.: The Verdi services union has again called for warning strikes in Bavarian retail this Friday. Employees of H&M in Augsburg, Donauwörth, Erlangen, Munich, Nuremberg and Rosenheim, of Kaufland in Erding, Geretsried, Moosburg and Munich, of Lidl in Bamberg, Massimo Dutti in Munich, Media Markt in Rosenheim and individual Rewe branches in Munich are called upon .
According to Verdi, there are also the Rewe central warehouses in Buttenheim and Eitting as well as Zara in Munich. Individual companies have been on strike for several days, the union said.
Collective bargaining in the Bavarian retail trade will continue on June 13th, in Bavarian wholesale and foreign trade on June 16th. Verdi calls for, among other things, 2.50 euros more per hour for retail and mail order and an increase of 13 percent for wholesale and foreign trade.
More information on the warning strikes on the following pages.
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