Deutsche Post and trade union Verdi failed to reach an agreement on a new pay and workingconditions deal yesterday. But the immediate threat of more strikes has receded.
Deutsche Post announced that the two sides had held “constructive” talks and stated theirdetermination to find a negotiated solution to the dispute. The next round of talks is scheduledfor April 17 and 18.
The postal operator’s chief negotiator Ralf Stemmer said: “We are pleased that we havereturned to constructive negotiations and expect that further strikes can be avoided. We want toseal a comprehensive deal covering secure and competitive jobs for our employees that also includesan appropriate pay increase.”
Verdi had previously threatened an all-out strike at Deutsche Post from the end of Aprilonwards if the two sides did not agree on a deal at yesterday’s negotiations. The union alreadyorganised warning strikes across Germany last week which delayed millions of letters and tens ofthousands of parcels.
Verdi is demanding that Deutsche Post agrees to extend an “employment pact” ruling out anycompulsory redundancies until June 2011. It also wants staff to work 10 fewer days a year tocompensate for a planned increase in working hours for civil servants. But the union has not yetformally made a pay increase demand.
