The Verdi union has called on Deutsche Telekom employees to go on warning strikes at short notice. The work stoppage also has an impact on customers.
In the collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Telekom, the Verdi union called for warning strikes in customer service nationwide on Sunday. This will continue on Monday, parallel to the fourth round of negotiations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Potsdam, as Verdi announced. A central rally is planned there on Monday, at which 4,500 employees are expected.
What is it about?
About money. According to the union, the strike is intended to increase pressure on employers ahead of a new round of collective bargaining for the approximately 70,000 collectively agreed employees on Monday and Tuesday. From the start of the morning shift at 6 a.m., employees are asked to stop work for their entire shift, explained Verdi.
What impact does this have on Telekom customers?
The union had already organized warning strikes at Telekom on Monday and Tuesday last week. According to the union, 13,000 employees took part on both days, which means there were “enormous” waiting times in customer service, technician appointments were canceled and some Telekom shops remained closed.
Similar effects can also be expected this week. A Telekom spokeswoman explains in an interview with the “Frankfurter Rundschau”: “We try to keep the impact on our customers as low as possible and, for example, make up for canceled customer appointments at short notice” and adds: “If there are longer waiting times on the hotline If there is a problem, customers can also request a callback.” However, it remained unclear to what extent this option would help the affected customers. With a bit of a wink, Eva Bößl, union secretary at Verdi in the Upper Palatinate, clarified when asked: “The network will not collapse, we would have to cut the lines for that to happen.”
What is the union demanding?
Verdi is demanding an income increase of 12 percent for around 70,000 collective bargaining employees, but at least by 400 euros per month, with a term of the collective agreement of twelve months. According to the demands, the remuneration of trainees and dual students should also be increased by almost 200 euros.
What does Deutsche Telekom offer?
Telekom last offered to increase salaries by 4.2 percent in January 2025. As of October 1, 2025, all salaries are to be increased by a fixed amount of 150 euros per month. This year there will also be a tax-free inflation compensation bonus of 2,000 euros. The group offers a term of 27 months for the current offer.
What’s next?
Verdi rejected Telekom’s offer as inadequate. The company has made record profits in recent years and employees are disappointed with the offer, according to the union. The employer’s current offer is not too low, but rather provides for too long a term of 27 months. “There must be a clear move in the decisive round of negotiations if a longer conflict is to be averted,” explained Pascal Röckert from Verdi.
Sources: “”, “”, “”, “”, with news agencies DPA and AFP
Source: Stern
