Retail Strike in Germany: Thousands of Workers Walk Out

The United Services Union (Ver.di) has once again called on retail and trade sector employees to stage warning strikes to increase pressure on the employer side.

According to a statement from the union, large-scale mass rallies will be held in the country's largest commercial centers, including Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund, Wiesbaden, Hannover, Oldenburg, and Braunschweig.

Commenting on the strike decision, Ver.di Executive Board Member Silke Zimmer accused employer associations of deliberately slowing down the process.

Zimmer stated, "Employers are once again dragging their feet in this round of negotiations. Therefore, we will further increase the pressure on them. Those who approach their employees so irresponsibly are jeopardizing the future of the country's largest private sector industry."

The union did not officially announce the names of the companies that will be affected by today's wave of strikes. Sector representatives warned that the work stoppages could lead to local disruptions in in-store operations and long queues.

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Union's Demand

The Ver.di union is demanding a 7 percent wage increase for employees within a 12-month contract period. The union also wants this increase to be reflected in salaries as a minimum base raise of 225 euros per month.

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The employer side recently presented a revised two-year package across the states. This offer foresees a staggered wage increase of 2.4 percent starting from November and 2 percent starting from August 2027.

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The union leadership definitively rejected this latest offer from employers, deeming it insufficient in the face of inflation.

According to sectoral data shared by Ver.di, approximately 5.2 million people are employed in the trade and retail sector across Germany.

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