Ver.di strikes over postponed Deutsche Post collective

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Ver.di strikes over postponed Deutsche Post collective contract bargaining

http://www.union-network.org/UNIPostal. ... enDocument

After collective bargaining talks broke down between Ver.di and Deutsche Post on Friday 28 March, Ver.di members have been taking rolling strike actions to try and get Deutsche Post to recognise their responsibilities and to return to the bargaining table with a decent offer on the stalled collective contract talks. The issues that are outstanding in the bargaining are extending the deal that is currently in place over restructuring and how the proposed job losses will be handled and on compensating people for the extended working hours that the company is seeking.

Deutsche Post had made an offer to extend the restructuring deal for 3 months but Ver.di have rejected that proposal saying they don't want just promises but a proper agreement. The collective agreement concerning the restructuring expired on 31 March and since that time Ver.di members have been engaged in "warning" strikes in an attempt to get Deutsche Post to modify their position and to return to the bargaining table with an acceptable offer. Since Monday action has taken place in more than 14 cities where post boxes have not been cleared and more than 6 million letters and 150,000 parcels remain undelivered in the sorting centres.

Ver.di says that it's members remain committed to getting a decent deal and to a proper social plan for the proposed lay offs with more actions taking place and being extended into the regional areas of Germany in the next few days.

More information in German is available in the attached press releases from Ver.di

PDF 1 Press Release 29 Mar 08
PDF 2 Press Release 31 Mar 08
PDF 3 Press Release 01 Apr 08