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<\/p>\nGermany\u2019s main service union, Ver.di, invoked a daylong strike that is impacting a total of six seaports and has brought most container and cargo operations to a standstill. The union is calling it a \u201cwarning strike\u201d over what it sees as an impasse in contract negotiations, while the employers’ association is calling the strike \u201cdisproportionate\u201d \u00a0and the union\u2019s reaction to its offer \u201cimcomprehensible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ver.di called for the action among its 11,000 members who work at the container terminals and other key positions in the seaports, demanding a fairer wage offer and a return to the negotiations. The strike began Monday night, August 17, and spread to more locations with the day shifts on Tuesday. Work is not expected to fully resume until Wednesday. Early reports from Ver.di indicated that as many as 2,100 members were off the job in Hamburg, Germany\u2019s largest port, and gathered for a demonstration.<\/p>\n
The strike included Germany\u2019s three largest seaports, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven, and the three regional ports of Bremen, Emden, and Brake. The union targeted major employers and facilities, including the container terminals in Hamburg, the EUROGATE Container Terminal in Bremerhaven, the auto terminals, and the North Sea Terminal in Bremerhaven. The action included major companies including Eurogate, HHLA, BLG, and J Muller Weser. More than a dozen companies were being directly impacted by the strike.<\/p>\n
The action quickly raised fears harkening back to 2024. The last round of negotiations had resulted in a series of job actions increasing in intensity and resulting in large backlogs at the ports. Small disruptions and delays were expected from today\u2019s action, with a port spokesperson telling German broadcaster NDR they expected to clear any backlogs quickly. Hapag-Lloyd warned customers of potential delays.<\/p>\n
The employers’ association ZDS (Central Association of German Seaport Companies) reported the impasse on August 14, calling the decision of Ver.di and its members \u201cincomprehensible.\u201d It asserts that its offers \u201cfar exceed the qualifications of other industries.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
ZDS offered a 5.1 percent increase in basic hourly wages as well as an increase in 2027 in vacation pay and bonuses at the large container operations. \u201cGiven the difficult economic conditions, the employers\u2019 offer is above average and more than adequate compared to others in the industry,\u201d said ZDS.<\/p>\n
Ver.di is demanding an 8.2 percent wage increase with a minimum of at least \u20ac2.50 per hour for employees to ensure, it says, that the lower wage groups see the benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another sticking point is the duration of the contract, with Ver.di demanding 12 months. ZDS proposed 19 months and said in its statement that data showed that the average duration of German contracts exceeds 25 months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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ZDS called its offer \u201cfar-reaching\u201d when compared to other sectors of the economy, while Ver.di said in a statement, \u201cThe employees want a better offer, and they deserve it.\u201d The union says members have \u201coverwhelmingly rejected\u201d the current offers.<\/p>\n
Media reports that a new round of negotiations has now been scheduled for August 24-25 in Hamburg.
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