In the collective bargaining dispute with the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), the German union, United Services Union (ver.di), has called several thousand employees in the seaports of Emden, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Brake, Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg to a 24-hour warning strike from Thursday morning, 23 June 2022 on.
“The offer made by the employers in the fourth round of negotiations is totally inadequate; it has not brought any substantial improvement to the previous offer, but turned out to be a classic deceptive package,” said ver.di negotiator, Maya Schwiegershausen-Güth.
She went on to explain, “After getting closer in the third lap, we have now taken a step backwards. While the employees of the conventional companies experience a slight appreciation, the present, last offer of the employer a loss for the colleagues of the full container companies. However, it is precisely these companies that are benefiting from the current supply chain disruptions with high storage fee income.”
ver.di is demanding an increase in wages of €1.20 per hour for the approximately 12,000 employees in the 58 collective bargaining companies in Lower Saxony, Bremen and Hamburg, as well as actual inflation compensation for a collective bargaining agreement term of twelve months. In addition, ver.di is demanding an increase in the annual allowance for full container operations by €1,200.
Maya Schwiegershausen-Güth added, “We would have liked to have avoided another warning strike, but we cannot accept the current offer, which has mostly been downgraded. We will increase the pressure and call on the employers for further negotiations. Your offer cannot be the last word. We will increase the pressure and call on the employers for further negotiations. Your offer cannot be the last word. We will increase the pressure and call on the employers for further negotiations. Your offer cannot be the last word.”
Schwiegershausen-Güth continued, “It is unacceptable that employers want to leave employees largely alone with the effects of the rapidly increasing prices. The employees have worked to the limit in recent years and kept the supply chains together. They deserve real recognition and their fair share.”
