Negotiations in the wage dispute for port workers postponed

Created: 08/10/2022, 20:14

A vehicle is parked in front of numerous containers on the premises of the Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTA).

© Julian Weber/dpa/image archive

In the collective bargaining dispute for port workers, the Verdi union and the port companies postponed their negotiations again on Wednesday.

Both sides assessed the status of the negotiations controversially.

Hamburg - "We have come closer in today's negotiations, but we still differ on a few points," reported the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS) after the ninth round of negotiations.

"Based on the steps taken today, we aim to achieve a joint result on August 22."

Verdi takes a much more critical view of the status of negotiations in the wage conflict for port workers than the employers.

"We expected more and are disappointed with the low level of convergence," said negotiator Maya Schwiegershausen-Güth of the dpa on Wednesday evening after consultations with the collective bargaining commission.

"We started with the goal of securing real wages for the entire term of the collective agreement and expect a movement in this regard in the next round of negotiations."

Both sides resumed their negotiations almost two weeks after the 48-hour warning strike by dockers at North Sea ports at the end of July.

However, both sides did not yet feel any immediate pressure to reach an agreement.

Because until the next, then the tenth round of negotiations, further warning strikes are ruled out after a court settlement.

In the collective bargaining dispute that has been fought since the beginning of June, Verdi recently insisted on securing real wages for all employees in view of the high inflation of currently almost eight percent.

An offer from employers presented around a month ago - with a term of 24 months - is currently on the table with 12.5 percent for container companies and 9.6 percent for conventional companies.

dpa