No agreement
Warning strikes before the next collective bargaining round for public banks
Strikers in front of the door of the Sparkasse Märkisch-Oderland in Strausberg. Photo: Patrick Pleul / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
In the wage dispute between the public banks, employers announce an offer for a one-off payment, among other things. However, one of the crucial sticking points is not off the table.
Before the next collective bargaining round for the 60,000 employees of state and development banks and several savings banks, Verdi has increased the pressure. In Hesse, according to the union, around 350 employees of public and private banks took part in a warning strike and a rally in Wiesbaden on Friday.
There had also been campaigns in other federal states during the week. Meanwhile, the employers announced an offer for a one-off payment, among other things.
Although the collective bargaining for public and private banks is taking place separately for the first time in years, Verdi had called on employees of both banking groups to go on warning strikes.
Verdi accuses the employers of the public banks that the proposed abolition of wage increases based on work experience leads to a loss of income. The German Bank Employees Association (DBV) is also critical of the proposal and had emphasized: “We will not allow the discontinuation of the annual career scale, as suggested by the employers.”
The employers announced an offer for a “noticeable” one-off payment and a salary increase for junior employees for this year for the third round of collective agreements on Tuesday (19.10). “We do not want the employees to suffer from many idle months,” said Ulrich Theileis, deputy negotiator of the public banks. However, further idle months could only be avoided if the unions now seriously negotiated a new pay system.
The fronts had recently hardened during the collective bargaining talks for around 140,000 employees in the private banking sector. Verdi canceled the fourth round planned for this week with the employers’ association of the private banking industry (AGV). There have been no signals from the employers’ side that they want to improve the previous offer.
According to their own statements, employers have offered an increase in collective wages by a total of 3.2 percent in three stages over a period of 36 months. In view of rising inflation rates, this means a real wage loss, criticized Verdi. There is currently no new negotiation date for the private banks.
Verdi is demanding 4.5 percent more money for both banking groups, but at least 150 euros more per month. The DBV wants 4.8 percent more money for both private and public banks and a reduction in weekly working hours by one hour to 38 hours. It is also about more flexible working conditions.