Strike in cash transport: Employees demand fair wages and better conditions!

Strike in cash transport: Employees demand fair wages and better conditions!

The tense situation in the money and valuables transport sector in Germany is escalating. The United Services Union (ver.di) has called on employees to go on an all-day strike that will take place in all federal states on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. On the following Wednesday, October 2, 2024, the protest measures will continue and will particularly include the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Berlin, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.

The background for this strike is the wage and collective bargaining negotiations that are taking place for around 10,000 employees in the transport of cash and valuables. At the recent round of negotiations on September 20, 2024, the Federal Association of German Money and Valuable Services (BDGW) once again did not present an acceptable offer, which prompted ver.di to take this drastic step.

The demands of the union

ver.di's demands are comprehensive and affect both wages and working conditions. The attitude of employers, who stuck to their previous demands and instead of constructive solutions, only offered minimal increases of 0.36 euros to 0.50 euros in the first year, is viewed particularly critically. “This is completely unacceptable and provokes a strike,” explains ver.di negotiator Sonja Austermühle. The aim of the strike is to increase the pressure on employers to reconsider their positions and submit an improved offer.

A central point of the demands is the remuneration of all overtime that goes beyond the standard length of 8 hours, with the corresponding overtime premium. In addition, a nationwide holiday bonus and a Christmas bonus each amounting to half of the gross monthly salary are required. The vacation entitlement should also increase to 31 days without putting employees who currently have more entitlement at a disadvantage.

Hourly wages in focus

With regard to wages, ver.di is calling for a gradual increase in hourly wages in various federal states. In the mobile sector, wages in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Lower Saxony are to be increased to 23 euros, while in other regions such as Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Bremen, Hamburg and Hesse, an hourly wage of 22.50 euros is targeted. Further adjustments to 22 euros in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland and to 21.10 euros in Schleswig-Holstein and the new federal states are also part of the demands.

For the stationary sector, the union plans to increase hourly wages in the same federal states to up to 19.50 euros, while in other regions a wage of 18.00 euros is targeted.

The next round of negotiations, which could perhaps be decisive for resolving the conflict, is scheduled for October 17 and 18, 2024 in Munich.

In addition, a demonstration will take place in Berlin on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, starting at 9:00 a.m. on the Reichstagsufer and leading to the Red Town Hall. This protest event will certainly play a central role in the union pressure game.

For a detailed look at the case, see the report on bb.verdi.de.