Historic full-day strike at dpa news agency begins Friday
Employees at the dpa news agency will stage their first-ever full-day warning strike on Friday, March 20, 2026. The action involves nearly 800 workers across headquarters, regional offices, and subsidiaries like dpa infocom. Unions have called the move 'historic' as wage talks remain deadlocked.
Negotiations between dpa and the unions Verdi and DJV have stalled after four rounds. The company's latest offer included either a 2.3 percent pay rise for 2026 or a flat €110 monthly increase, plus a 2.5 percent raise for 2027. Unions rejected this, demanding a fixed €250 monthly rise for 2026, followed by a 2.5 percent increase in 2027, with the deal lasting 18 months.
No progress was made in the last two rounds, prompting the strike. The fifth negotiation session is set for March 27 in Berlin. Verdi's lead negotiator emphasised the significance of the walkout, marking it as a turning point in the dispute. The strike will affect all major dpa operations, including the Berlin newsroom and regional branches. Staff at dpa infocom and other subsidiaries will also join the action, disrupting services for the day.
The warning strike marks the first full-day walkout in dpa's history. With no compromise yet in sight, both sides will return to talks next week. The outcome will determine pay for nearly 800 employees and set a precedent for future negotiations.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
