The union Ver.di has called for nationwide warning strikes at Deutsche Telekom after a disappointing second round of negotiations. Employees in several federal states are set to strike starting Tuesday. The union demands a 6.6 percent pay increase for around 60,000 workers.
In wage negotiations with Deutsche Telekom, Ver.di has called for full-day warning strikes following a second round described as »disappointing«. Starting Tuesday, employees in Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Berlin, and Brandenburg will walk out. Further sites are planned for the coming days, with no initial details on affected company divisions.
The union seeks a 6.6 percent pay rise over 12 months for about 60,000 employees, plus a 660 euro annual membership bonus. The group includes 20 tariff-bound companies, most with contracts expiring March 31, 2026. Joint negotiations had been agreed beforehand.
Ver.di negotiator Frank Sauerland criticized the employer's stance: »It cannot be that the company achieves record revenues, record results, and record dividends for shareholders year after year, yet remains tight-lipped on employees' needs and points to the well-known challenges of the company.« Telekom cites competitive pressures, efficiency demands, and investments such as fiber-optic expansion.
