German dock workers have launched strikes across the country as wage negotiations between the United Services Union (ver.di) and port operators intensify.
Ver.di called for full-shift warning strikes at the Ports of Bremen and Wilhelmshaven on Wednesday and Thursday, while workers at the Ports of Hamburg and Bremerhaven initiated strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Port of Emden saw strikes on Wednesday only.
This strike action aims to pressure employers ahead of the fourth round of wage negotiations with the Central Association of German Seaport Operators in Bremen from July 11 to 12.
“In the third round of negotiations, we were still far apart,” said ver.di negotiator Maren Ulbrich. “The offer presented by the employers is not acceptable to us. The employers still have to make some progress, particularly on the wage increases offered.”
The union hopes that the expanded warning strikes will send “another very clear signal to the employers that the employees are serious about their demands.”
Ver.di is demanding an hourly wage increase of three euros starting June 1, along with corresponding increases in shift allowances, including compensation for the missed shift allowance increase in the 2022 collective agreement.
“It is important that the lower wage groups in particular receive financial relief through the wage increases. Inflation in recent years has hit them particularly hard,” Ulbrich stated.
“Additionally, wage differences between various groups must be reduced, and there must be an increase in real wages for the upper wage groups.”
