Shortly before the European Football Championship in Germany, Verdi called on Telekom employees to go on a warning strike in front of the European Championship stadiums. The bus drivers in Hesse are also on strike again. You can find all important information about the warning strikes here.

5:31 p.m.: Customers have to expect cancellations on numerous bus routes in Hesse this Friday. The Verdi union has once again called on the drivers of private bus companies to go on an all-day warning strike, which will also last on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Pentecost.

Almost all bus routes in Frankfurt as well as connections in many medium-sized cities and rural areas are affected. In the large cities of Kassel, Darmstadt and Wiesbaden, however, normal bus traffic can be expected because different collective agreements apply to the drivers there.

In the collective bargaining dispute, the union is demanding that salaries increase by 8.5 percent in two stages. There should also be an inflation compensation of 3,000 euros for each employee and paid breaks. The employers rejected the demands as unaffordable and offered 9.3 percent more money in three stages.

Thursday, May 16th, 12:41 p.m.: Hundreds of Telekom employees gathered in front of the MHP Arena in Stuttgart for a warning strike following a call from the Verdi union. State labor campaign leader Christian Filusch said on Thursday that around 300 employees were on site for the rally in the late morning. This is intended to maintain the pressure in the ongoing collective bargaining.

In 2019, Telekom received comprehensive media rights for the tournament from the European football association UEFA. All 51 European Championship games will be shown on the Telekom streaming service MagentaTV, five of them exclusively. In order for things to run smoothly, some of the technology still needs to be expanded before the start on June 14th. “The Telekom employees are highly motivated to provide technical support for the football event,” said Filusch. “But first there has to be a proper collective bargaining agreement in place.”

The call for a strike was aimed at all areas of Telekom from the Stuttgart, Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Göppingen regions, as it was said. The consequences for customers have sometimes been longer waiting times on the service hotline or postponed appointments for new connections. According to information, around 4,500 employees work for Telekom in Baden-Württemberg. There were also calls for warning strikes in the other nine cities that are hosting games at the European Championship.

After the employer presented an improved offer in the fourth round of collective bargaining on Tuesday evening, the round was extended until Friday. In this year’s collective bargaining round, Verdi is demanding, among other things, a wage increase of 12 percent for the around 70,000 collective bargaining employees nationwide.

Tuesday, May 14th, 4:51 p.m.: The signs are already pointing to a storm in the Bavarian hospitality industry after the first round of collective bargaining. The NGG union broke off the talks on Monday after a short time, as negotiator Mustafa Öz said. Now we are planning actions up to and including a warning strike. According to Öz, these could also hit the opening day of the European Football Championship in mid-June if there are no new discussions by then.

The two sides blamed each other for the demolition on Monday. Öz criticized the fact that Dehoga came to the table without an offer despite a long lead time and only made demands for a longer term. Dehoga, on the other hand, said that the NGG’s demand for a 14.5 percent wage increase was rejected as non-negotiable in view of the difficult circumstances with the after-effects of the corona pandemic and the end of the temporary VAT reduction.

The Dehoga stressed that it would be willing to continue to talk as soon as a negotiable demand was presented. Öz dismissed this as blackmail.

It was initially unclear how many employees were being negotiated for. In the hospitality industry, with its many, sometimes very small, companies, both the collective bargaining agreement on the employer side and the degree of union organization are rather low.

Friday, May 10, 2024, 3:12 p.m.: In the collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Telekom, the Verdi union is again calling on the company’s employees to go on nationwide warning strikes on Monday. “The current offering from employers is far from sufficient to meet the expectations of employees. There must be a clear movement in the decisive round of negotiations if a prolonged conflict is to be averted,” said strike leader Pascal Röckert on Friday.

Telekom and Verdi will meet in Potsdam on Monday and Tuesday for the fourth round of negotiations. The union is demanding a pay increase of 12 percent, but at least by 400 euros per month, for around 70,000 Telekom Group employees nationwide. Telekom recently offered to increase salaries by 4.2 percent from 2025. This year there will be a tax-free inflation compensation bonus of 2,000 euros. Verdi rejected the offer as inadequate.

The union had already organized a nationwide warning strike this week. According to the company’s own information, around 13,000 employees took part. Verdi then described the strike measures as effective. There were enormous waiting times in customer service, technician appointments had to be canceled and some T-Shops were closed.

Thursday, May 9, 2024, 10:34 a.m.: According to the union, employees in Hamburg’s retail sector will receive more salaries in the future. The United Services Union (Verdi) announced on Wednesday evening that a compromise had been reached with the employers in the collective bargaining negotiations that have been ongoing for over a year.

“This collective agreement represents an important step for employees in Hamburg’s retail sector,” said Heike Lattekamp, ​​negotiator and deputy regional district manager of the union in Hamburg. “The employees finally have more money in their pockets and a noticeable relief in view of the increased prices.”

According to Verdi, the agreement now reached in the collective bargaining dispute provides for an increase in wages in three stages: by 5.3 percent on October 1, 2023 and by 4.7 percent on May 1, 2024. From May 1, 2025, the 90,000 employees in Hamburg retail who are subject to social security contributions will receive an additional 40 euros and 1.8 percent more.

According to the union, employers will pay an additional inflation compensation bonus of 1,000 euros from June 1, 2024. From January 1, 2025, employees should receive an additional 120 euros in collective pension provision annually. The term of the collective agreement was set at 36 months.

“This was long overdue. Our colleagues have fought hard for a year,” as Silke Zimmer, Verdi federal board member responsible for trade, announced on Wednesday evening. “It is thanks to the courage and perseverance of our colleagues that thousands of employees in Hamburg are once again protected by a legally binding collective agreement.”

7:42 p.m.: Immediately before the first construction strikes, employers want to voluntarily increase employees’ wages. On Wednesday, the Main Association of the German Construction Industry (HDB) and the Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) jointly suggested that companies increase 5 percent in the West and 6 percent in the East. The lowest wage group 1 should also increase nationwide to 14 euros per hour on May 1st, they announced in Berlin on Wednesday.

It is a temporary solution, said HDB vice-chairwoman Jutta Beeke, according to a statement. “The employees should not have to suffer from the collective bargaining dispute. “You deserve an increase in wages,” explained negotiator Uwe Nostitz.

In the still unresolved collective bargaining dispute in the German construction industry with around 930,000 employees, the employers rejected the arbitrator’s decision. After that, incomes should increase by a flat rate of 250 euros in May and eleven months later by another 4.15 percent in the west and 4.95 percent in the east. The IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt, however, had signaled an acceptance.

After the arbitration failed, the union announced widespread strikes, but has not yet named specific dates or regions for the industrial action. Union leader Robert Feiger had threatened that large companies as well as small craft businesses would go on strike. It will be more expensive for employers because IG BAU is now on strike again for its original demand of 500 euros more per month for everyone for a term of only one year.

You can read more information about the warning strikes on the next pages.