FRANKFURT/BONN (dpa-AFX) - Postbank customers must be prepared for closed branches over the next few days. The trade union Verdi has once again called on employees in all Postbank branches, among others, to take part in nationwide warning strikes. The two-day strikes are to begin this Friday (March 22). Although the employer side made improvements in the third round of negotiations at the beginning of the week, "the offer falls short of the expectations of a final compromise on all important points", criticized Verdi negotiator Jan Duscheck on Thursday.

"The employees expect long-term job guarantees and clear material appreciation for their work and the particular burdens of recent months," said Duscheck. Verdi announced that it would gradually extend the industrial action and also prepare for the ballot. "If the employers want to avoid this escalation, they must significantly improve their offer by the next negotiation date on April 16," said Duscheck.

Verdi is demanding 15.5 percent more money for around 12,000 employees in the Deutsche Bank Group with a Postbank collective agreement, but at least a salary increase of 600 euros. The Deutsche Bank Employees' Association (DBV) wants 14.5 percent more money for the employees of Postbank, Postbank Branch Sales, PCC Services and BCB.

Trade unions insist on longer protection against dismissal

Due to the announcement of branch closures, Verdi is also pushing for long-term job security by extending the protection against dismissal until December 31, 2028. Deutsche Bank plans to close up to 250 of the 550 Postbank branches by mid-2026, including staff cuts. Shortly before Christmas, Deutsche Bank assured that it would refrain from making redundancies for employees covered by collective wage agreements at its retail bank in Germany until the end of September this year.

According to the trade unions, the employer has now offered to extend the protection against dismissal until the end of 2026. In addition, the employers' latest offer includes an increase in monthly salaries of 6.4 percent or at least 250 euros as of June 1, 2024 and a further 2.0 percent as of July 1, 2025./mar/DP/jha