Tarif result - More money for employees in wholesale and retail trade
Over 70,000 employees in the trade and wholesale and retail sector in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will receive more money. The agreement includes a wage and salary increase in three stages, an inflation adjustment premium, and improvements in pension provisions, as announced by the trade union Verdi and the employer side.
Effective from October 1, 2023, wages will therefore increase by 5.1%, on May 1, 2024, there will be an increase of 5.0%. From May 2025, incomes will rise by an additional 2.0%. Apprenticeship wages will increase in three steps: trainees should receive an additional 60 Euro per month from August 1, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
"With the collective agreement in the wholesale and retail trade, one of the toughest and most intensive collective bargaining rounds in the history of trade in the north comes to an end," Verdi negotiator Bert Stach stated.
Additionally, part of the agreement is an inflation adjustment premium of 1,000 Euro, which should be paid out latest by September 2024. In the pension scheme, an additional annual amount of 480 Euro will be paid on top of the existing contribution.
According to employer data, there are approximately 57,000 socially insured employees and 1,500 trainees in around 5,000 companies in the Schleswig-Holstein trade and retail sector. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, there are around 1,500 companies with 15,000 socially insured employees and around 400 trainees.
Handel's union, the United Services Trade Union, was instrumental in negotiating this agreement that benefits over 70,000 employees in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The tariff result includes wage increases, an inflation adjustment premium, and improved pension provisions for these workers.
Georg Friedrich Handel, known for his contributions to classical music, might not be directly linked to this story, but it's interesting to note that he was born in the district of Windsheim in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
The tariff result of this agreement will positively impact foreign trade, as increased wages and better Altersvorsorge provisions can boost the purchasing power of the employees in these regions.
The city of Schwerin, located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is home to many of these companies that will benefit from the agreement. Meanwhile, in the same region, the administration of pension schemes may also need to consider adjustments due to the additional annual contribution of 480 Euro per employee.
