This is the biggest strike in German ports in 40 years. Labor unions are demanding wage increases due to galloping inflation.
Chaos prevails since yesterday in important ports of northern Germany, from Hamburg, Premerhaven and Bremen to Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven. The dock workers have been on strike since yesterday with a central slogan to put a brake on inflation.
It is even expected that they will continue their mobilizations, probably until Sunday, after the green light of a court that deemed the strike legal, following the rejection of a request by port management companies for injunctive measures.
Representatives of German dock workers’ unions have long been in negotiations with port companies to adjust the collective labor agreements and thus the salaries of some 12,000 workers in 58 companies, due to ever-increasing inflation, the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine.
The Ver.di union is specifically asking for an hourly wage increase of 1.20 euros and an adjustment of wages taking into account the current rate of inflation, which already reaches 7.6%.
Foretaste of “social explosion”?
This is, according to German media, the largest strike by German dock workers in forty years, affecting not only container terminals in German ports, but the entire transit of container ships and storage areas.
A strike that comes to add to the serious problems that still exist in global supply chains due to the coronavirus pandemic. It should be noted that German ports and especially Hamburg play a key role in the global movement of goods.
In fact, according to calculations by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, more than 2% of the world’s cargo capacity is currently stuck in the North Sea.
All this is perhaps a foretaste of the difficult winter for which German politicians are preparing citizens and workers, with Chancellor Scholz recently speaking of the risk of a “social explosion” due to inflation and the energy crisis.
Dimitra Kyranoudis, Berlin
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
