Retail Workers Across Germany Set for Two-Day Strike as ver.di Rejects 'Provocative' Pay Offers
04.06.2026 - 08:05:23 | boerse-global.de
The German service workers’ union ver.di is calling on tens of thousands of retail and wholesale employees to walk off the job this Thursday and Friday in what it describes as a last-ditch effort to unlock stalled contract negotiations. The action, involving coordinated walkouts from the Baltic coast to the Saarland, targets major chains including Edeka, Kaufland, Douglas, H&M and Ikea.
Demonstrations Planned from Kiel to Saarbrücken
A central rally is scheduled for Thursday in Kiel. The following day the focus shifts to large-scale gatherings in Berlin, Erfurt, Bochum and Saarbrücken. In Osnabrück, ver.di has called for a local warning strike on Thursday, deliberately timed to coincide with a regional public holiday. The move is intended to maximize pressure on employers still refusing to improve their wage offers.
This week’s strikes follow a wave of walkouts earlier this month that saw more than 5,000 employees at over 200 locations down tools. That action already disrupted business at major retail brands across the country.
The Gap Between Demands and Offers
At the heart of the conflict is a deep divide over pay. Ver.di is demanding a seven percent wage increase, with a floor of at least 225 euros per month, for a contract lasting twelve months. In the Berlin-Brandenburg region, the union is additionally pushing for a structural minimum hourly wage of 14.90 euros and a 150-euro monthly increase for apprentices.
Employers have so far tabled offers that ver.di calls unacceptable:
- Retail in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg: A 24-month contract offering two percent from November 2026 and a further 1.5 percent from August 2027.
- Wholesale: 3.4 percent over 24 months.
- Berlin and Brandenburg: A six-month wage freeze, followed by a two percent increase – around 63 euros for a worker in the seventh pay grade – and then an additional 1.5 percent, roughly 49 euros, at a later stage.
The regional proposal for Berlin and Brandenburg was dismissed by ver.di early this week as a provocation, and the union immediately rejected it. The peace obligation that prevents strikes has already lapsed in Berlin, while in Brandenburg it remains in force until June 30.
Billions in Profits, Modest Offers
Ver.di bases its demands on what it says is the robust financial health of the sector. According to the union’s calculations, German retailers booked profits of around 25 billion euros in the most recent period, while wholesalers logged some 58 billion euros.
The German Retail Association (HDE), however, warns that profit margins are thin and room for maneuver limited. Despite the strike wave, the HDE expects no significant disruption for customers.
The next round of contract talks for the retail trade in Berlin and Brandenburg is set for June 23. With both sides still far apart, the prospect of a deal before that date appears slim.
