Starting this evening, it will become turbulent at six major German seaports. Ver.di has called on employees at Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Wilhelmshaven, Emden and Brake to participate in a 24-hour warning strike. The action will begin with the start of the respective night shift.
Approximately 11,000 employees are affected, for whom a new collective bargaining agreement is currently being negotiated. Ver.di is demanding 8.2 percent higher hourly wages, or a minimum of €2.50 more per hour, with a contract duration of twelve months.
The employers' side, represented by the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS), is offering 5.1 percent higher wages over a contract period of 19 months. Additionally, an increase of €300 in holiday allowance and a raise of €460 for certain allowances are provided. Ver.di and a majority of surveyed employees consider this offer insufficient.
For logistics, Hamburg is particularly critical. Employees from more than a dozen port operators there have been called to strike. These include the HHLA terminals Altenwerder, Burchardkai and Tollerort as well as the Eurogate Container Terminal.
What this means in practice depends on how strongly individual shifts participate in the strike. However, one thing is clear: if containers cannot be unloaded from ships or cannot be loaded onto trucks and trains, congestion quickly builds up. Even after the end of a 24-hour strike, a large terminal needs time to catch up on outstanding work.