Agreement in Lower Saxony - Solution to the wage dispute in wholesale and foreign trade
In a conflict over tariffs in the wholesale and foreign trade sector, union Verdi and the AGA Business Association have agreed on wage increases for the over 100,000 employees in the industry in Lower Saxony. The AGA business association announced this, and a Verdi spokesperson confirmed the agreement. Accordingly, employees will receive 5.1% more money retroactively from October 1, 2023, and 5.0% more from May of the same year. From the beginning of May of the following year, employees will receive an additional 2.0% more.
The apprentice wage will therefore increase by 60 euros each year. In addition, an inflation adjustment premium and a one-time contribution to the occupational pension scheme were agreed upon.
The tariff agreement is moving at an "absolute pain threshold," according to Volker Hepke, the permanent AGA negotiator, in a statement. "The compromises are far from easy for both sides. The tariff result comes as a relief to employers, not only in terms of their social responsibility and the tariff partnership." The fact that the tariff agreement now has a duration of 36 months is considered a success by the association. This provides the approximately 14,000 companies with planning security.
The tariff agreement for employees in Lower Saxony thus builds on an agreement that the employer side and the union already found on June 24 for Hamburg. Negotiations have been ongoing since May of the previous year. The AGA business association assumes that comparable results can be achieved for the tariff areas of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein in the coming weeks.
- The United Services Union, being a part of the union Verdi, was involved in discussions with the AGA Business Association regarding trade tariffs in the foreign trade sector, specifically in Lower Saxony.
- The agreement reached between Verdi and the AGA Business Association involves lowering tariffs for employers, particularly in the wholesale industry, which could potentially boost foreign trade for businesses in Hanover.
- Tensions between the two parties were high, with Verdi advocating for wage increases for over 100,000 employees, and the AGA Business Association seeking a balanced approach to avoid potential implications on business growth.
- The Tariffs agreement, which was lengthy and challenging for both parties, was finally approved by the United Services Union and the AGA Business Association, ensuring 36 months of wage stability and certainty for the approximately 14,000 companies in Lower Saxony.
