Pay Rise Blocked for 550 Casino Workers in Baden-Württemberg as Board Rejects Negotiated Deal
Published on 07/16/2026 at 09:35 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Roughly 550 employees at the state-licensed casinos in Baden-Baden, Stuttgart and Konstanz are caught in a deadlock after the supervisory board vetoed a pay deal already agreed by negotiators. The monthly increase of €230 – due to take effect retroactively from 1 January 2026 – has now collapsed, leaving staff and their union representatives furious.
The dispute centres on a structural change to the wage table, not merely a flat bonus. Under the original accord, the adjustment would have permanently raised minimum salaries and improved how ongoing pay is calculated during sick leave. After the supervisory board withheld approval, the employer side brought a revised proposal. Verdi’s tariff commission turned it down immediately. The union describes the board’s move as “an illegal interference with collective bargaining autonomy.”
Work stoppages are back on the table. Verdi has already led walkouts in recent months and warns that trust in the negotiating process has been badly damaged. The standoff echoes a wider problem in the state: talks in retail were suspended after employer associations cited the need for national coordination with the union’s federal structure.
Beyond the internal conflict, the casino sector faces mounting regulatory pressure. Kerstin Kosanke, president of the German Casino Association (DSbV), cautions that a cascade of new rules could push customers into the illegal online market. An EU-wide cash limit is scheduled to take effect in summer 2027, while Germany is tightening anti-money-laundering requirements. The DSbV wants regular consultations with state interior ministries, arguing that the viability of legal gambling venues is at risk just as they struggle with rising labour costs and labour unrest.
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