Verdi strikes Deutsche Post parcel centers – consequences on Wednesday

Berlin/Bonn. In the wage dispute at Deutsche Post, the Verdi union is once again relying on warning strikes. Employees in all of the Bonn-based logistics company's parcel centers nationwide have been called upon to stop work during the late and night shifts until Wednesday morning, Verdi announced in Berlin early Tuesday evening. Employees in selected mail centers have also been called upon to stop work, for example in Freiburg, Pforzheim and Waiblingen (Baden-Württemberg) as well as in Celle and Göttingen (Lower Saxony) and in Bremen.

The union wants to increase pressure on employers to agree to significantly higher pay. A company spokesman said the impact on customers cannot be estimated at this point in time.

Verdi is demanding a seven percent increase in wages in a collective agreement that will only run for 12 months and would apply to around 170,000 postmen, parcel carriers and other logistics employees. The postal service, which belongs to DHL, is offering an increase of 1.8 percent initially and a further 2.0 percent later in a 27-month contract.

Verdi is also insisting on three extra days of vacation to take account of the increased workload. Verdi members will even get four. The post office, on the other hand, only offers one extra day of vacation for employees who have fewer than 30 days of vacation per year - that is, around two thirds of the workforce.

The situation in the collective bargaining negotiations appears to be deadlocked, the three previous rounds have not produced any results. The fourth round is planned for Monday. The Post spokesman expressed his incomprehension. "The call for further warning strikes is unnecessary and is to the detriment of our customers."

In recent weeks, Verdi has repeatedly called for warning strikes in various areas, whether in the parcel or letter sector. In some places, this led to significant delays in the delivery of mail. Verdi Vice President Andrea Kocsis describes the postal service as "completely inadequate", especially since the cost of living for employees has risen significantly.

The post office, on the other hand, insists on an economically viable contract – in view of falling letter volumes and high investment requirements, it sees only limited scope for wage increases.

RND/dpa