Labor organizations - Agreement on wages in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's retail industry
After a lengthy break, the wage negotiators for the retail sector in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have finally come to an agreement on a settlement for the estimated 55,000 employees in the region. This was done with reference to the pre-existing regulations set in place in May for workers in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Both Verdi, the service union, and the Trade Association North revealed their amendments in a meeting that lasted five hours in Güstrow on a recent Wednesday.
Starting from October 1, 2023, a 5.3% pay raise is in place. This is followed by another 4.7% raise from July 1, 2024. Again, from September 1, 2025, there will be a 40-euro increase along with an additional 1.8% rise. Trainees will witness their allowances hiked at a quicker pace as well. The Verdi and Trade Association North spokespersons revealed that full-time employees will get a 1,000 euro bonus due to inflation, part-time employees will be given the same bonus but proportionately, and trainees will receive 500 euros. The annual contribution for tariff-based pension schemes will increase from 300 euros to 420 euros. The deal is set to last for 36 months.
The negotiations for the retail sector in the northeast had been ongoing for over a year. This was swiftly followed by threats of strikes from employees. Bert Stach, a Verdi negotiator, expressed his approval for the outcome. Inflation-adjusted salaries for a fictitious female salesperson would have moved up by approximately 400 euros per month by September 2025, equating to a steep rise of 13.7%.
Böckenholt, the managing director of the Trade Association North, expressed that the agreement could've been sealed earlier. "The solution for the first 24 months is almost the same as what we had offered in October last year for a two-year contract," he revealed. The final deal aligns with the measures taken in other states, but Böckenholt added that the companies had to exhaust their limits.
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The agreement was influenced by the regulations in cities like Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein for retail workers. The collective bargaining meeting took place in Güstrow, located in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Despite the delay, the United Services Union (Verdi) and the Trade Association North managed to avoid a potential warning strike in the retail trade sector. The deal includes pay increases, bonuses, and pension contribution adjustments, impacting employees in various employment categories across the region. Despite some disagreement on the timing of the agreement, both parties agreed on a settlement that aligns with measures taken in other German states like Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.
