The trade union Verdi has called for nationwide warning strikes for Deutsche Telekom employees ahead of the fourth round of collective bargaining negotiations. Verdi announced on Tuesday that the goal of these strikes is to increase pressure on the employers.
Verdi negotiating leader Frank Sauerland stated, “The current offer is vague, incomplete, and completely inadequate given the long duration of the contract”. He added, “It is up to the employers to submit a viable offer if they do not want to risk a far stronger conflict”.
Last week, according to the union, over 10,000 Telekom employees participated in demonstrations across twelve cities. Verdi strike campaign manager Pascal Röckert described the strike actions as “very effective” because they resulted in significant waiting times for customer service and forced the cancellation of technician appointments.
Verdi is demanding a pay increase of 6.6 percent with a collective agreement duration of twelve months, in addition to a member bonus of 660 euros per year. The fourth round of negotiations is scheduled for May 26 and 27, 2026.
