The public service union Verdi announced plans to expand its warning strikes on Wednesday, building on demonstrations that began on Tuesday in northern and eastern Germany. Scheduled areas for Wednesday include North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia.
According to Pascal Röckert, a strike coordinator for Verdi, these industrial actions could lead to several interruptions for Telekom customers, including reduced accessibility, delays in technical customer service and fiber optic expansion, and numerous canceled appointments. However, Verdi stated that its primary goal is to send a strong signal to the employers and present a concrete, negotiable offer during the wage negotiations.
Röckert explained that the union believes building pressure through strikes is necessary because the employers have not yet responded to the union’s demands. He advised that the employers should take the employees’ requirements seriously.
Verdi’s demands for this year’s round of negotiations with Deutsche Telekom include a 6.6% wage increase across a contract period of twelve months. Furthermore, the union seeks the introduction of a €660 annual bonus for Verdi members. For trainees and dual students, Verdi is demanding a monthly salary increase of €120, accompanied by an additional annual bonus of €240.
The next major round of salary negotiations is scheduled for May 11th and 12th.
