Ahead of the second round of collective bargaining for the approximately 170,000 employees at Deutsche Post, scheduled to begin on Thursday, the Verdi union is demanding a 7% pay increase and more vacation time. “Only with significant pay increases for employees can the still high costs and food prices be managed” said Verdi’s deputy chair and lead negotiator, Andrea Kocsis. The incomes of the majority of employees at Deutsche Post still lag below the median income in Germany.
“Through increasing package volumes and weights, our members need further relief through additional free time” the lead negotiator explained. The additional vacation days are urgently needed for health protection. “The sick leave is at a record high” Kocsis said. About 90% of employees would still be working under high physical strain and would need to lift heavy packages, which can still weigh up to 31.5 kilograms.
Verdi is demanding a 7% pay increase for tariff employees and apprentices, as well as students, with a contract duration of 12 months. For tariff employees and apprentices, three additional vacation days and an extra vacation day for Verdi members are being requested. Furthermore, the so-called Post allowance, which equalizes the salary difference of postal civil servants with those of other federal civil servants, should be continued for the approximately 19,000 civil servants of the company.
The second round of collective bargaining is scheduled for January 23 and 24.