Workers at Hamburg port go on strike over wage dispute

Workers at Germany’s largest port in Hamburg started a two-day strike on Tuesday to demand higher wages.

“The strike has started as planned with the early shift at 6:30 am,” said a spokesman for the verdi trade union.

The employees are initially striking on a decentralised basis in front of their workplaces, and there will be a demonstration on Wednesday, the union said.

Verdi said it wanted to increase the pressure on employers in the wage negotiations for employees in seaports with the all-day strikes at the Hamburg port on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Verdi is demanding an increase in hourly wages of 3 euros (3.2 dollars) retroactively to June 1 and a corresponding increase in shift allowances.

A further round of negotiations between Verdi and the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS) is planned for July 11 and 12 in Bremen.

Strikes already took place in several northern German ports, including Hamburg, in June.