Millions of letters and parcels are currently on their way with a lot of delay. But there is no end in sight to the collective bargaining dispute at Swiss Post. Verdi insists on a strong salary increase.
In view of the third round of collective bargaining, the Verdi union is asking Deutsche Post to make concessions. “The employers have announced an offer, but we don’t need just any offer, we have to have an acceptable one on the table,” said negotiator Andrea Kocsis, according to a statement on Wednesday. The warning strikes in recent weeks are a clear signal. Employees expected substantial pay rises.
Collective bargaining for around 160,000 parcel carriers, postmen and other domestic employees of Deutsche Post will enter the third round on Wednesday in Düsseldorf. The Post has announced that it will present an offer at the two-day meeting.
Verdi demands 15 percent more wages and salaries and refers, among other things, to inflation. The union has backed this demand with several warning strikes in recent weeks. According to union information, around 15,000 employees nationwide took part in the walkouts on Tuesday alone. In total, there were almost 100,000 in this collective bargaining round.
According to the latest information from the Post, millions of letters and packages were delayed as a result of the warning strikes. The company rejects Verdi’s tariff claim as excessive. In order to secure jobs in the mail and parcel business, increases in income of this magnitude are not justifiable, the group confirmed on Tuesday. Earnings in the mail and parcel business are clearly declining and are already no longer sufficient for the necessary investments.
Source: Stern
