Warning strike at Moia in Hamburg and Hanover
In the conflict over a collective agreement, higher wages and better working conditions at the Moia shuttle service, several hundred employees at the Hamburg and Hanover sites walked off the job on Friday, according to IG Metall.
Among other things, the union is demanding an inflation adjustment bonus of 2,000 euros for 1,200 employees of the Volkswagen subsidiary, a 5.2 percent wage increase retroactive to June 1 and further significant pay rises as of September 1. In addition, it is demanding bonus payments similar to those at VW Group Services GmbH, 30 days' vacation for all and better night shift allowance regulations.
"After the second round of negotiations in mid-September, the company has remained silent," the IG Metall statement said. After the company declared the collective bargaining talks to have failed and left the negotiating table, it threatened to close sites and drastically reduce the workforce.
"We declared in September: if IG Metall wants it, Moia will shut down," said IG Metall chief negotiator Thilo Reusch. "As the company is not showing any willingness to talk, we will continue our course if necessary. This hurts the customers who have to switch to Moia's other competitors or walk, but it also affects the company in particular."
Trade unions across Germany are closely watching the situation at Moia, as the ongoing strike by their members at the Hamburg and Hanover sites could potentially impact other companies with similar issues. If the trade dispute escalates and tariffs are imposed on Moia due to disruptions in trade, traffic in key cities could become chaotic, causing delays for commuters who rely on cars for transportation.
Source: www.dpa.com
