Negotiators on both sides have agreed on a new collective agreement. Verdi is now conducting a member survey.
Deutsche Telekom has agreed on a new collective agreement with the Verdi union. As the collective bargaining parties announced on Friday in Potsdam, wages are to rise by six percent in October. A further surcharge of 190 euros per month is planned for August 2025. According to Verdi’s calculations, depending on the pay group, pay increases by a total of 8.3 to 13.6 percent. There is also a tax-free inflation compensation bonus of 1,550 euros, which is to be paid this July 2024. Trainees and dual students also receive more money. All in all, according to Telekom, the collective agreement applies to around 58,000 employees.
However, the agreement is not yet in the clear, as the union still wants to survey its members. The Verdi collective bargaining commission recommends approval; it wants to make a final decision on June 7th, taking into account the results of the member survey.
There have been repeated warning strikes in the past few weeks, which sometimes lengthened the waiting time for the service hotline or postponed some technician appointments. Thousands of employees demonstrated for higher pay. The fourth round of negotiations in Potsdam was actually only supposed to last until Tuesday of this week. After management improved its offer, it was extended until Friday – and now the agreement has been reached.
Verdi had originally demanded an increase of 12 percent over a 12-month contract period. Telekom’s first offer, in turn, initially included an increase of 4.2 percent for a 27-month contract term and a later monthly surcharge of 150 euros. Compared to these two positions, which contained other components, both sides had to make compromises. The new collective agreement applies to the majority of Telekom employees in Germany, although other agreements apply to some subsidiaries.
“The result is painful, but we have made up our minds to prevent continuous strikes at the expense of our customers,” said Telekom Human Resources Director Birgit Bohle. Verdi negotiator Frank Sauerland said it was a hard-fought and very good collective agreement result. “This strengthens Deutsche Telekom’s position in the competition for the skilled workers of the future, and we expressly welcome that.”
Source: Stern
