Union warns of more strike action at Deutsche Post
Germany trade union Verdi has warned that there could be more German postal strikes and “significant delays” in deliveries over the coming days. In a statement issued this morning, the union said that “no results could be achieved” at the pay talks with Deutsche Post yesterday.
Verdi members staged a two-day strike earlier this month, as part of their dispute over wages and working hours.
In January, Deutsche Post announced plans to create 10,000 new jobs at its parcel business by 2020, but said the new workers would have to accept lower wages than other group employees.
Verdi has said such a move would breach an agreement limiting how much business Deutsche Post can outsource to third parties, and added that it would only accept the proposal if Deutsche Post shortened the workers’ hours to 36 per week from 38.5.
In the statement issued by Verdi today, the union’s deputy chairman Andrea Kocsis was quoted as saying: “We call for a reduction in the working week for all employees at full pay and accept no possibility to increase the working time to 41 hours.”
Verdi added that negotiations with Deutsche Post are scheduled to continue in Siegburg on 27/28th April.
