Wage Offer Rejected: Retail Strikes Spread as ver.di Holds Out for 7 Percent Raise

Negotiations for a new collective wage agreement in Berlin and Brandenburg collapsed on Monday, pushing Germany's retail sector closer to a prolonged labor dispute. With no compromise in sight, the ver.di union has escalated pressure by calling walkouts across multiple states this week.

Union leaders are demanding a seven percent pay increase, or a minimum monthly raise of 225 euros, combined with a contract duration of just twelve months. Employers countered with an offer of two percent more starting November 2026, followed by an additional 1.5 percent in August 2027 — but only in exchange for a 24-month term. Silke Zimmer, a board member at ver.di, dismissed the proposal as insufficient.

Strike activity began Thursday with a central demonstration in Kiel. On Friday, further rallies are planned in Erfurt, Berlin, Bochum, and Saarbrücken. In the capital, striking workers gathered at Wittenbergplatz in the morning. Thuringia's state capital also saw protesters assemble, while similar actions are expected in Bochum and the Saarland capital.

The current wave builds on an earlier walkout in mid-May, which ver.di says involved more than 5,000 employees at over 200 locations — including branches of supermarket chains Edeka and Kaufland. On Thursday alone, around 100 workers at several central warehouses in Saxony stopped work.

Germany's retail association, the HDE (Handelsverband Deutschland), signaled little flexibility. Citing weak economic conditions, it argued that higher settlements are not feasible. Despite the strikes, the HDE does not anticipate noticeable disruptions for shoppers, insisting that supply levels remain secure.

Labor and management are now preparing for the next rounds of talks. In Baden-Württemberg, negotiations are scheduled for June 8. The wholesale trade in Lower Saxony and Bremen will follow on June 12. For Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, a further meeting is set for June 30 in Dresden.

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