German Retail Workers Walk Off the Job as Survey Finds 73% Struggle to Cover Basic Needs
26.06.2026 - 16:15:36 | boerse-global.de
More than 100 retail and wholesale operations across Germany were hit by warning strikes on Friday, as labour unions escalate a dispute that has laid bare deep financial strain among shop-floor staff. According to internal polls cited by the Verdi union, 73 percent of employees in the sector report difficulty making ends meet, while 88 percent say they fear poverty in old age.
Verdi chair Frank Werneke addressed several hundred demonstrators gathered on Augsburg’s Willy-Brandt-Platz, telling them the employers' current offers are “completely inadequate.” The union is demanding a monthly pay increase of €222 for workers in Bavarian retail and mail-order businesses, and a 7 percent rise in the wholesale sector. For trainees, Verdi wants an additional €150 per month. A key sticking point is a permanent minimum hourly wage of €14.90 that counts toward pension contributions, with the entire demand package running for 12 months.
Employers have pushed back sharply, citing weak economic conditions. A recent industry survey found 46 percent of retail companies rating their situation as poor. Their counteroffer: a 2 percent increase from November 2026, followed by another 1.5 percent from August 2027—meaning employees would wait nearly two years for the first raise, with the full deal spanning 24 months.
The strike action stretched beyond Bavaria. Hundreds of workers at chains including Edeka, Lidl, Penny, Rewe, Amazon, Zara and H&M walked off the job. Across the country, more than 100 Kaufland stores were affected, though the company insisted normal operations continued. In Hamburg, staff at Kaufland, Netto, Rewe, Penny and Famila downed tools for two days; the local trade association there has offered 3.5 percent in two stages over a two-year term. Further strikes were reported in Mainz, Saarbrücken, Trier and Kaiserslautern, targeting Kaufland as well as Ikea, Primark and H&M.
Negotiations are moving forward region by region. Talks were held Friday for Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, and separately for the wholesale sector in Baden-Württemberg. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for early July in Saarland, for 9 July in Hamburg, and for mid-July in Bavaria—with warning strikes expected to continue until a settlement is reached. Verdi has made clear it will maintain pressure on employers until an acceptable offer materialises.
