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Employers sleep through the future development

No creative thrust from the employers’ side

During the prelude to the negotiations in Berlin the association of private employers failed to present any creative drive towards finding solutions. Instead of entering into discussions regarding the addressed subjects and the future arrangement of employment on behalf of the employees and creditor institutes, all we could hear concerning the demands voiced by ver.di was a comprehensive “no”.

At the same time the situation is growing increasingly acute. Continual staff reductions, the introduction of new work processes and a fragmented, buggy IT structures are increasing the strain. “The employers are showing no creativity at all in their approach. The price for this is paid by the employees and eventually the institutions hemselves. We finally need to tackle the future topics of the industry collaboratively” says Jan Duscheck, federal union secretary for the banking industry.

The employers are showing no creativity at all in their approach. The price for this is paid by the employees and eventually the institutions themselves. We finally need to tackle the future topics of the industry collaboratively.

Jan Duscheck, federal union secretary for the banking industry

With regard to wages the employers are running out the clock

Also with view to wages are the employers running it out with the intention of forcing months without rises. Since 1 July the clock has been running against the employees. The former wage agreement terminated 30 June 2021. Now the months have started, for which no wage rises have been negotiated. Inflation is permanently increasing. Every month without new rises thus means a net loss for employees.

Our demand for a minimum rise of 150 € as a social component was even declined with a comment to the extent that this would destroy the technical structure of the pay scale. We had not expected such a lack of interest and such a cold attitude in this first round of negotiations. After all such a measure would mostly have benefited entry-level employees and employees with a gross wage of up to 3.000 €.

No willingness to discuss mobile working
Although mobile working has been established on a regular basis in many institutions, the employers are unwilling to agree a mandatory framework for this field of activity. Many employees want to maintain this option. During the pandemic we have been able to recognise, which factors need to be observed. Now the time has arrived to evaluate this experience and outline the future of work in collaboration. “We want to establish a right to mobile working, and we want employers to reimburse a portion of the savings they make due to the reduced cost of office space in the shape of a compensation fee to be paid to the employees. This is just an order of fairness”, says Markus Zittlau, member of the negotiating committee, Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main.

We want to establish A right to mobile working, and we want employers to reimburse a portion of the savings they make due to the reduced cost of office space in the form of a compensation fee to be paid to the employees. This is just an order of fairness.

Markus Zittlau, member of the negotiating committee, Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main

A free choice between more leisure time and wage rises is not desired
At the same time the employers are refusing employees’ free choice between more leisure time and a higher wage. Although this has become a standard module in numerous other collective agreements, the employers are referring to organisational problems. About this Gabriele Platscher, a member of the negotiating committee, Deutsche Bank AG, Brunswick, says: “The work load has been increasing for many years now. The employees are asking for individual possibilities to ease the strain. Therefore we demand the option to transform higher wages into more leisure time.” The employers‘ stance is disappointing. Instead of tackling the future challenges that employees face together with us they are resorting to a circle-the-waggons mentality. Employees and institutions alike cannot afford this. The future of work instantly needs to be managed collaboratively.

The work load has been increasing for many years now. The employees are asking for individual possibilities to ease the strain. Therefore we demand the option to transform higher wages into more leisure time.

Gabriele Platscher, member of the negotiating committee, Deutsche Bank AG, Brunswick

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Summary of our demands

Wages

  • Wage increase by 4.5 % (for a term of 12 months).
  • As a social component we demand wages rise a minimum of 150 € per month. This would noticeably favour the lower wage brackets.
  • An increase of wages for employees paid beyond the general pay scale (often referred to as AT-employees) in accordance with the regular wage development.

Easing

  • Individual option to choose freely whether to acquire agreed pay raises in form of cash or leisure time.

Mobile working

  • Entitlement to working up to 60 % of the agreed working hours as teleworkers (at home, for instance).
  • Employees wishing to work as teleworkers shall be entitled to a compensation fee amounting to 1.500 €. Modernisation of indemnity as postulated in § 16 MTV
  • Indemnity arrangements for the birth of an own child shall no longer depend on marital status but shall be available to all persons independent of their familiar relations or type of partnership.

Details of our demands are to be found here

This bargaining info as pdf


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