Trade - Due to warning strikes: Christmas shopping better brought forward
Retail expert Thomas Roeb believes that the impact of the warning strikes announced by the Verdi trade union for next week in the retail sector will be manageable. Nevertheless, he advises consumers to bring forward their Christmas shopping. "I advise all consumers to do their shopping in good time and not just before Christmas. Better safe than sorry."
However,Roeb, who works at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, expects only short-term and isolated strike-related restrictions in ongoing business in the week before Christmas. He assumes that the food retail sector will be less affected than other areas.
Stefan Genth, Managing Director of the German Retail Association (HDE), also does not expect any major impact. During the previous work stoppages, the retail companies have shown that they can keep the impact on customers as low as possible. "The usual Christmas shopping is therefore safe for retail customers."
In the deadlocked wage negotiations in the retail sector, the trade union Verdi had called for warning strikes from Thursday to Saturday before Christmas. "Anyone who wants to prevent strikes immediately before Christmas Eve must return to the negotiating table," said Verdi boss Frank Werneke this Friday." We are calling on employers to finally live up to their social responsibility." Employees have been waiting months for a wage agreement.
Among other things, Verdi is demanding at least 2.50 euros more per hour in all regions in the retail sector and a one-year wage agreement. Depending on the federal state, there are further demands. The employers recently offered ten percent more plus an inflation adjustment premium for a term of 24 months. According to Verdi, around 3.1 million people are employed in the retail sector and 1.9 million in wholesale and foreign trade.
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- The United Services Union has voiced concerns about the potential impact of the warning strikes on the retail trade in North Rhine-Westphalia, specifically in Düsseldorf, where many consumer goods are sold.
- Despite the warning strikes, the retail trade in Germany, including the food sector, is expected to continue, albeit potentially with some short-term disruptions.
- Thomas Roeb, a retail expert from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, has advised consumers to shop early to avoid any potential disruptions caused by the warning strikes.
- Frank Werneke, the boss of the trade union Verdi, which has announced the warning strikes, has urged employers to return to the negotiating table to avoid strikes closer to Christmas Eve.
- The ongoing wage negotiations in the retail sector in Germany have led to demands from Verdi for at least 2.50 euros more per hour in all regions and a one-year wage agreement.
- The German Retail Association (HDE) and its retail companies have shown in the past that they can manage to keep the impact of such strikes on customers to a minimum, ensuring that the usual Christmas shopping continues uninterrupted.
Source: www.stern.de
