Collective bargaining for private banks broken off
Created: 01/17/2022, 16:23
The lights in the offices of the Frankfurt bank towers glow in the last light of day.
© Boris Roessler/dpa
Because the Verdi union had "massively tightened" its original salary demands, the employers' association of the private banking industry broke off the negotiations shortly after the talks began.
Frankfurt/Berlin - Collective bargaining for private banks in Germany was broken off after just a few hours on Monday.
The Verdi trade union has “set up additional insurmountable hurdles for a collective bargaining agreement”, the employers’ association of the private banking industry (AGV Banken) justified the step.
Employers said the Verdi union had "massively tightened up" its original salary requirements with reference to the rise in inflation.
Verdi went into the negotiations for 140,000 employees, which began on July 1, with a demand for 4.5 percent more money.
According to the employer, Verdi is now demanding a one-time payment of 1,500 euros for a period of 24 months, an increase in collective wages by 3.5 percent as of January 2022 and a further 2.5 percent as of January 2023, plus two additional vacation days.
According to employers, the German Bank Employees Association (DBV) has also slightly increased its demands.
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"Anyone who insists on completely unrealistic maximum demands for more than half a year and now even tightens them considerably removes the basis for further negotiations," said the negotiator of the AGV Banken, Commerzbank HR Manager Sabine Schmittroth.
The talks had already stalled and, after a series of warning strikes, were only resumed in large groups on Monday - due to the pandemic in a video booth.
In anticipation of a possible conclusion, the AGV Banken recommends its member companies a gross one-time payment of 500 euros for employees and 100 euros for trainees by April 2022.
dpa
