Deutsche Post AG employees are on warning strike.
(Photo: IMAGO/Christian Spicker)
Bonn/Berlin Many mailboxes are likely to remain empty: In the collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Post, the Verdi union continued its warning strikes on Saturday. After the focus on Friday was on the letter and parcel centers, on Saturday the delivery staff nationwide were called to stop their work. “Participation is good, as is the mood among the strikers,” said a Verdi spokesman in Berlin on Saturday.
The Post announced on Saturday that there could be a delay of several days in the collection and delivery of letters and parcels. In some regions, the difficult weather conditions caused by the onset of winter would also have a restrictive effect.
According to the current status, around one million parcels and three million letters were affected on Saturday. That corresponds to around 15 percent of the average daily volume for parcels and six percent for letters.
Participation in the strikes varies depending on the region and location, and the effects are correspondingly different, a Post spokesman said. A total of around 9,400 employees followed the call for a strike, which is a little more than a third of the employees who should work on Saturday.
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According to Verdi, around 15,000 employees took part in the strikes in the letter and parcel centers on Thursday and Friday. For this reason alone, according to Post, there can be delays in delivery for days. A union spokesman said that a total of 30,000 employees nationwide had taken part in the warning strikes since Thursday including Saturday.
The union demands 15 percent more money for a contract period of one year. The Post board rejects the demand as unrealistic.
Verdi wants the strikes to be understood “as a clear signal towards employers”. In the second round of negotiations, the employers made it clear that they were not prepared to compensate for the real wage losses of the 160,000 employees.
Negotiations continue on February 8th and 9th. Swiss Post has announced that it will then submit an offer.
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