Frankfurt am Main – After two rounds of negotiations, the collective bargaining dispute for Textile Services workers is escalating. The reason is an offer made by employers on May 28, which workers at large-scale laundries have now rejected in workplace votes. Starting Tuesday, IG Metall will therefore ramp up the pressure and call for warning strikes nationwide.
The employers are offering two delayed wage increases of 1.5 percent each—below the inflation rate—over a long 28-month period. They want to abolish the partial retirement program. In contrast, IG Metall is demanding a 6 percent wage increase, or at least a 180-euro raise for one year, as well as improved partial retirement provisions for these overworked employees.
“No respect for hard, strenuous work”
IG Metall negotiator Miriam Bürger said: “The so-called employer offer is disrespectful. It mocks the dedicated efforts of our colleagues in their grueling and strenuous work. They deserve appreciation instead of a program that drives them into poverty. The companies have a healthy order book and are struggling to find workers and skilled personnel. With real wage cuts and increased workloads, the companies are actually accelerating the exodus of workers from their firms.”
The warning strike will kick off on Tuesday with employees from companies including CWS Healthcare in Paderborn, Bardusch Textil-Mietdienste in Nienburg-Stadthagen, and ALSCO Workwear in Merseburg. On Wednesday, ALSCO Workwear in Cologne and CWS Healthcare/Workwear in Brehna will follow.
Textile service providers clean items such as workwear and linens for hotels, restaurants, and hospitals. The industry employs 23,000 workers nationwide. The next round of collective bargaining will take place on June 16 in Dietzenbach (Hesse).
