Germany’s confectionery workers are gearing up for ‘warning strikes’ after negotiations for a pay deal fell through with several companies in the industry. The Food-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union announced that approximately 5,900 employees in the confectionery sector in Bavaria are prepared to take industrial action.
The NGG and the Bavarian regional group of the Federal Association of the Confectionery Industry (BDSI) failed to reach an agreement in the initial round of collective bargaining. This impasse affects companies such as gummy-bear maker Lorenz Snack-World, chocolate businesses Brandt Zwieback-Schokoladen and Piasten, as well as baked goods company A&D Feinbackwaren, and gingerbread manufacturers Lambertz, Lebkuchen Schmidt, and Weiss.
NGG Bavaria chairman Mustafa Öz stated, “These confectionery companies will soon have to reckon with production losses.” The union is demanding a 9.9% wage increase for one year, equivalent to “at least €360 ($394)” more per month for each employee.
The employers proposed a 2.8% salary increase for the first 12 months, followed by 2.1% for the subsequent year, totaling 24 months as per the union. Öz emphasized that the warning strikes would disrupt production in the confectionery industry across Bavaria, aiming to add momentum to the negotiations which are now entering a critical phase.
Last year, a wage agreement was reached for confectionery workers in Germany following a third round of talks, which resolved the strike action. In response to failed pay discussions in May, NGG called for industry-wide strike action in June after rejecting the offer by BDSI.
Furthermore, NGG highlighted that the deal secured “significantly higher wages” for confectionery employees in Germany, spanning 14 months. As negotiations progress, it remains crucial to bridge the gap between the demands of the union and the proposals put forth by the employers for a mutually beneficial resolution in the food and beverage industry.
