Shortly before Christmas
Retailers call for protest on Black Friday
The negotiations for a new retail collective agreement have once again come to an end without a result. The more than 430,000 employees now want to push through the pay rise they are demanding by playing hardball. Disruptive actions are planned for the so-called "Black Friday" weekend to increase the pressure further.
The fourth round of negotiations between employers and the union ended on Thursday evening without any results. A new date for further talks has not yet been set. The GPA union has announced its intention to increase the pressure with protests next Friday and Saturday.
"Unfortunately, the employers have not budged and are insisting on their final offer. That is simply not enough", explained Veronika Arnost, chief negotiator of the GPA, in a press release. The employers' offer offers no security for a sustainable salary development.
The deal failed due to "details"
"We had long, respectful talks, but the employee representatives are unfortunately still not prepared to accept reality. They continue to demand an agreement that is simply not feasible for retail companies in view of the economic situation," explained employer representative Rainer Trefelik, Chairman of the Federal Trade Division. An agreement on Thursday "ultimately failed due to details".
On Wednesday, "disruptive actions" were decided at nationwide works council conferences for "Black Friday" on November 29 and the following Saturday if no agreement is reached in the fourth round.
The employee representatives did not want to reveal on Wednesday what protest measures the GPA union could take in a week's time. "Let us surprise you", said Martin Müllauer, chairman of the GPA trade division.
What is the retail sector demanding?
The employees recently demanded a salary increase of 4.3 percent for 2025, but reduced their demand to 3.9 percent on Thursday. The employers are offering a two-year agreement with an initial 3.1 percent and half a percent above inflation one year later - but only if the relevant inflation rate is below two percent.
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