Overview
- Verdi renewed nationwide warning strikes for Friday, July 3, and carried on with concentrated multi‑day actions on July 4 in parts of Baden‑Württemberg to increase pressure in ongoing wage talks.
- The union demands a 7 percent wage increase or at least €225 for 12 months plus higher pay for low wage groups and trainees, while employers have offered a two‑step deal of 2.4 percent from November and 2 percent from August 2027 that Verdi rejected.
- Strikes are focused on large retailers and wholesalers, with employees at chains such as H&M, ZARA, Primark, IKEA, Kaufland, Rewe/Penny and Metro named by Verdi as targets for walkouts and rallies.
- Employers and trade‑association spokespeople say customer disruption has often been limited during past actions and expect no major impact from the latest strikes, but the union says more strike days will follow unless the offer is materially improved.
- The talks began in April and cover about 5.2 million people in the sector; the next formal bargaining dates are in early July (including July 9) and further sessions in August, and the outcome could affect pay for millions of retail and wholesale workers and local service availability.