Course in individual and wholesale: Verdi plans new strike for higher salaries and better staffing

Course in individual and wholesale: Verdi plans new strike for higher salaries and better staffing

wages and lack of staff: employees in individual and wholesale threaten to strike

In Berlin and Brandenburg, more than 230,000 people are employed in retail, and there are also a good 54,000 employees in wholesale. The previous collective agreements have expired on June 30, and the Verdi union is now fighting for a general wage increase of 2.50 euros per hour. The employees not only require higher salaries, but also better staffing in order to meet the increasing requirements and the shortage of skilled workers.

On Thursday, five employees described their Situation and concerns at Verdi press conference. Silvana Meister, who has been working at Kaufland logistics in Lübbenau for 20 years, reported that she has had a significant increase in her rental and additional costs in the past two years, while her salary has not changed. As a single parent with two children, she can hardly afford a vacation and has to save every cent. Due to the shortage of skilled workers, the employees have to do double and triple work, which causes dissatisfaction.

also Roman Galinski, who has been working as a seller at H&M in Wilmersdorfer Straße for 25 years, reported rising rents and the effects on the life of employees. Many colleagues would have to freeze other payments in order to pay the rent. Even simple purchases such as a new washing machine have become unaffordable for some.

Jana Forsten, employee at Ikea for 14 years, told about the difficult personnel situation. Due to the poor payment, more and more jobs could not be filled. There is a high number of vacancies in your house, and the sparsely occupied staff can hardly be refilled with refilling the goods.

also Katja Vaternam, who has been working as a retail clerk at Kaufland Adlershof for over 20 years, complained about the lack of being employed full -time. Most colleagues would have part -time contracts, and Kaufland is not ready to give them more hours to enable a reasonable life. Many would have to terminate insurance or do without cultural activities.

Sylvia Sack, employee at Galeriakaufhof on Alexanderplatz for 33 years, reported a general devaluation of the profession. There are hardly any full -time workers or specialists, only short -term contracts for employees who want to work on Saturday. Customers often behave disrespectfully towards the employees.

The companies react more to the allegations. Ikea states that the personnel density in the furniture stores in summer due to their main vacation time is a little lower. H&M, on the other hand, explains that the shopping times of the customers had shifted and that they would have adapted their personnel deployment accordingly.

The Kaufland spokeswoman emphasizes that flexible working time models are offered and an increase in working hours is being examined benevolently. The hours of some employees had recently been increased in the branch in Berlin-Adlershof.

Verdi has not yet called a specific strike date, but would like to give the company little preliminary. It remains to be seen how the negotiations between the union and the companies will be going and whether there will be a strike in the future.