Germany – there’s a green light for the renewal of the national collective dockworker agreement. The Ver.di trade union has approved the latest proposal put forward by ZDF, the Central Association of German Seaport Operators.
With the agreement now in place, further strikes at the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Emden, Brake and Wilhelmshaven – involving a total of around 11,000 workers – have been called off.
Key points of the agreement include a 3.4% hourly pay increase, valid for 12 months and retroactive from 1st August 2026. There is also provision for a €200 increase in the holiday allowance paid to all employees.
For workers at container-handling companies with high turnover, referred to in the contract as ‘Category A companies’, a further financial benefit has also been provided for: from 1st January 2027, they will get an additional €416 annual allowance.
The agreement, however, is not yet final. Employers’ representatives will also need to give the go-ahead.
Translation by Giles Foster
