NGG warning strikes deliver results in German Dairy sector

Warning strikes by IUF affiliated NGG members have won gains in collective bargaining in the dairy sector in 2018. In Germany a warning strike may occur during collective bargaining and is a warning to employers that workers are prepared to take further action in support of improving wages and other conditions.

Increases of 2.7% have been won in most regions and in company agreements with DMK and Arla Foods.

In addition, permanent increases of €30 to €40 in employer contributions to pensions have been won in many regions.

The 2017-2020 CBA in East Germany made considerable progress in bringing wages closer to those prevailing in West Germany and the standard increase in the East in 2018 is 3.5%.

Negotiations to renew the CBA in Bavaria will commence in July.

The NGG is fighting more than 500 job losses through closures and restructuring by Friesland Campina (Gütersloh) and DMK (Rügen, Saxony-Anhalt, and North Rhine-Westphalia)as companies continue to struggle to secure their position in a market suffering from over-capacity in processing.