Collective bargaining agreement in retail Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: wage increase of 5.0 percent in two steps

The approximately 56,000 retail employees in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will receive more money. Employers and the Verdi union agreed on a collective agreement in the second round of negotiations, as the North Trade Association, as employer representatives, and Verdi announced.

According to this, employees will receive 3.0 percent more wages on October 1st, with a further 2.0 percent to follow on July 1st, 2027. In addition, according to the union, a collective minimum wage of 14.20 euros from October 1st and 14.90 euros from July 1st, 2027 will be agreed. The term of the tariff compromise is 25 months. Verdi entered the negotiations with a demand for 225 euros more per month and a tariff period of twelve months.

“The high demands and expectations of the union on the one hand and the extremely tense economic situation in the entire industry on the other hand have put a lot of strain on the collective bargaining round,” said the employers’ negotiator, Christian Lahrtz. The negotiations were correspondingly tough. “We know that the deal is at the limit for some companies, but we still hope for broad acceptance in both camps.”

Verdi negotiator Bert Stach said, “This collective bargaining agreement is the result of the pressure that the employees have built up.” The employers' offer from the first round of negotiations was characterized by zero months and would have meant a significant loss of real wages for the employees. “With their strong strike action, the employees have strengthened the collective bargaining committee’s back and thus made a decisive contribution to pushing through this collective agreement.”