Strike at Deutsche Post: Verdi Calls for Action at Parcel Centers

On Wednesday, customers expecting deliveries from DHL may need to exercise patience, as a series of strikes are set to impact parcel centers across Germany. The labor union Verdi has announced work stoppages in the late and night shifts of all parcel centers operated by Deutsche Post.

In addition to the parcel centers, selected letter centers in cities such as Freiburg, Pforzheim, Waiblingen, Celle, Göttingen, and Bremen will also experience disruptions due to these strikes. Verdi aims to increase pressure on employers to agree to significant wage increases amid ongoing contract negotiations.

Current demands from Verdi include a 7% salary hike within a one-year contract covering around 170,000 postal workers, including letter carriers and parcel delivery staff. In contrast, Deutsche Post has proposed a 27-month contract with an initial pay increase of 1.8%, followed by an additional 2% later.

Furthermore, Verdi is pushing for three additional vacation days to account for the heightened workload, with a proposal for four extra days for union members. Conversely, the company has offered only one additional day for employees with fewer than 30 vacation days annually, which encompasses roughly two-thirds of its workforce.

The stalemate in negotiations has raised concerns, as three previous meetings have failed to yield any resolution. A fourth round of discussions is scheduled for Monday. A spokesperson for Deutsche Post expressed confusion regarding the necessity of further strikes, stating that they impose undue burdens on customers.

Recent weeks have seen Verdi periodically calling for warning strikes across various sectors, notably affecting both parcel and letter delivery services, leading to considerable delays in shipment arrivals. Verdi's deputy, Andrea Kocsis, has criticized the company's offer as insufficient, particularly in light of rising living costs that employees are facing.

In response, Deutsche Post maintains that it is committed to reaching a financially viable agreement, highlighting challenges such as declining letter volumes and a pressing need for investment, which limits its ability to accommodate substantial pay increases.