The Verdi union is satisfied with the one‑day strike at the German Press Agency (dpa). “The level of participation was judged by everyone as unexpectedly high” said Matthias von Fintel, Verdi’s media‑sector manager, on Friday to the dts news agency.
About 800 dpa employees were called to walk out on Friday. A review of the agency’s news products revealed “clear gaps and missing broadcasts, mainly from uncompleted reporting assignments” noted von Fintel.
In a virtual strike meeting more than 300 participants from all dpa regional offices, the newsroom, Hamburg headquarters, and product departments such as video and radio took part. Some volunteers were also on strike, and a few freelance photographers showed solidarity even though they were not formally called to join.
The dpa itself speaks of delays but publicly denies any operational restrictions. This assessment is not confirmed by dpa staff and does not align with the experiences of editorial teams that rely on dpa content.
Beyond production limitations, the union emphasizes that the high participation rate has strongly underlined its demands and the expectation that dpa management will present an improved, agreement‑friendly offer by 27 March.
Verdi is demanding a salary increase of a fixed €250 per month for 2026, and a 2.5 % rise for 2027 with an 18‑month duration. The agency’s last offer in the second negotiation round, according to the union, was a 2.3 % raise for 2026 or an alternative flat raise of €110, and a 2.5 % raise for 2027.
