The service union Verdi plans to nationwide expand its warning strikes at private banks starting November 16. The union announced on Thursday that the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia will kick off the action. Verdi stated that by doing this, employees raised pressure on employers ahead of the third negotiation round in Berlin on November 23. Jan Duscheck, Verdi’s federal specialist group leader for the banking sector, criticized that the banks aim for increasing profits while employees’ salaries are structurally devalued. The latest offer from the employers foresees no salary increases from October 2026 to June 2027. In July 2027, the contractual wages are to increase by 2.2 percent, and in July 2028 by another 2.0 percent. Verdi assesses this offer as insufficient because income development is significantly below the expected inflation. According to the union, the employers have not submitted any offer for apprentices and dual students. Verdi demands a six percent salary increase for the approximately 150,000 employees, as well as an additional 300 euros per month for apprentices and dual students, over a twelve-month period. The union also advocates for the indefinite taking on of young talent full-time and binding regulations concerning employment protection, personnel planning, and qualification in the use of Artificial Intelligence.
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