Warning strike at Edeka: There is a risk of expensive supply bottlenecks!

Warning strike at Edeka: There is a risk of expensive supply bottlenecks!

There will be a widespread call for a warning strike in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district today, November 27, 2025. The Verdi union has mobilized employees in the Edeka Group's central warehouse in Lüttow-Valluhn. Several hundred employees come together here to fight for better working conditions. The early shift and the late shift have been involved in this strike since 4 a.m., which could significantly affect the food supply in northern Germany. Areas particularly affected are fruit, vegetables and the general food supply in the Edeka markets in the area. The warehouse in Lüttow-Valluhn secures supplies in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which makes the dimension of the strike measures clear.

The union is demanding a salary increase of 200 euros per month for all pay groups and a term of the new collective agreement of one year. The employer's offer in the third round of negotiations only included 120 euros gross over two years, which Verdi rejected as insufficient; This is simply an adjustment for inflation that does not sufficiently take the rising cost of living into account. A date for the fourth round of negotiations has not yet been set. If the employers do not respond to the demands, further actions can be expected at the site.

Extensive employee participation

In addition, another warning strike has been announced at Edeka Nord Service- und Logistikgesellschaft mbH in Zarrentin/Valluhn. Around 1,000 employees work there in three shifts, and temporary, hourly warning strikes were also called there from 6 a.m. Around 100 workers are actively participating in the warning strike measures, which last until around 10 a.m. This severely disrupts logistics processes, which in turn has an impact on the supply of goods in the markets. Verdi negotiator Thomas Ebeling makes it clear that the employees are ready for conflict in view of the employers' unacceptable offer.

Claims and employer offer

The negotiations for a new collective agreement in the general collective bargaining round are not just about wage increases. Verdi also makes further demands aimed at improving working conditions:

• Optimierung der Zulagen und Zuschläge
• Volles 13. Monatsgrundentgelt (Urlaubs- und Weihnachtsgeld)
• Lohnsicherung für leistungsgeminderte Beschäftigte
• Verbesserungen bei der Altersvorsorge und vermögenswirksamen Leistungen

The employer offer includes, among other things, the gradual approach to the full 13th monthly basic salary and the payment of inflation compensation bonuses. The collective agreement set out in the offer would run until September 30, 2026. However, this is subject to the condition that there is excessive flexibility in working hours for drivers. In order to take into account the approximately 300,000 night shift hours worked in the company, the allowances and surcharges should be optimized.

In the last financial year, Edeka Nord achieved sales of 3.81 billion euros and an annual profit of 36.1 million euros, which shows that the company should be able to pay fair wages and improve working conditions. But it remains to be seen whether and when the employers and the union can agree on a common denominator.