Collective bargaining took place again in retail. In Hamburg, the union and trade association struggled to find a compromise for the collective bargaining district there, which could have served as a blueprint.
In the retail tariff dispute, the last chance for an agreement was missed this year. The Verdi union and the North Trade Association were unable to agree on a compromise in regional negotiations for the Hamburg collective bargaining area, as both sides announced. According to the German Trade Association (HDE), the talks failed “again because of the union’s exaggerated ideas”. “The employers will now meet at the beginning of the year and discuss the consequences.”
Verdi accused the other side of not having improved their previous offer. “The employers haven’t moved, that means a loss of real wages for the employees, we won’t do that,” said the union.
After a several-week interruption in negotiations at the regional level in November, the collective bargaining parties in the Hanseatic city met again for talks for the first time. A conclusion in Hamburg could have served as a model for the other 13 tariff areas. A solution to the collective bargaining dispute has now become a long way off.
Source: Stern
