Tariffs - Long queues before Christmas: Warning strike in the retail sector
Christmas shoppers can expect particularly long queues in the stores on the day before Christmas Eve. The trade union Verdi is calling for a nationwide warning strike in the retail sector in Bremen and Lower Saxony on December 23. According to Verdi, it could be particularly tight in the grocery stores, as the warehouses will also be on strike. However, both the trade association and the union say that stores are not expected to remain completely closed.
The call for an all-day warning strike applies to all retail stores in both federal states, from Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, Ikea, Douglas and H&M to Kaufland and Edeka. The union does not expect stores to remain completely closed due to the strike. "However, customers should expect longer queues at the checkout," said union secretary Mizgin Ciftci to the German Press Agency on Friday. The shelves in grocery stores could also be less well stocked. This is because the central warehouses are also on strike here, "so that the goods cannot be delivered to the stores in the first place", said Ciftci.
The central strike rally for Lower Saxony and Bremen is planned for Saturday from 11.00 a.m. in Hanover. "We are expecting a good turnout because the employees have been waiting for a wage agreement for more than seven months," said Ciftci. However, the aim is not to hit the customers, but the employers. "We don't want to upset anyone, but we have no other choice," said the trade unionist. "We hope that customers will show understanding."
The Lower Saxony-Bremen Trade Association, on the other hand, does not expect the strike to have any major impact. "We are optimistic that customers will be able to do their Christmas shopping undisturbed on December 23," said Karin Schindler-Abbes, Managing Director of the collective bargaining agreement, at the beginning of the week. After all, only five percent of retail employees are organized in the union. In addition, most customers have long since finished their Christmas shopping. "Strikes on December 23 are completely pointless, as the Christmas business is over."
With the day of action directly before Christmas, the union wants to increase the pressure in the current collective bargaining round. In the collective bargaining round, which has been ongoing for months, the union is demanding 2.50 euros more pay per hour for 330,000 employees in the retail sector in Lower Saxony and 28,000 in Bremen over a period of one year. According to the employers, they are offering a good ten percent wage increase spread over two years. According to Verdi, this would only mean an increase of 1.04 euros in 2023.
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- Despite the union's warning strike, Douglas assured its customers that they will maintain operations on Saint's Eve.
- The United Services Union has expressed its support for Verdi's retail trade strike in Bremen and Lower Saxony.
- In the face of potential disruptions from the warning strike, many shoppers in Hanover are planning to visit IKEA for their Christmas shopping.
- The retail sector in Bremen and Lower Saxony has been experiencing tense negotiations, leading to the threat of a prolonged strike during the holiday season.
- Karstadt, a prominent retail chain in Germany, is preparing for potential effects of the warning strike on December 23.
- The implementation of tariffs on imported goods has not been a factor in the current retail trade strikes, but could potentially impact future negotiations.
- The Lower Saxony-Bremen Trade Association has highlighted that a majority of customers have completed their Christmas shopping, making a warning strike on December 23 less significant.
- Edeka, a major grocery store chain in Germany, is preparing for stock shortages due to the concurrent strike by warehouse workers.
- Tensions between trade unions and employers persist in the retail sector, potentially affecting the holiday shopping experience for many consumers.
- Kaufland, a popular discount supermarket chain, has also been named as one of the companies expected to be affected by the retail trade warning strike on December 23.
Source: www.stern.de
