Cash Transport Workers Strike in Frankfurt: Millionaire by Day, Beggar by Night?
Ah, Frankfurt! The city where you can walk past gleaming bank towers and then turn the corner to find a bunch of cash transport workers demanding better wages. Who knew that beneath the façade of financial sophistication, there lurked a cash crisis? Yes, folks, our protagonists—the humble cash transport workers—are staging a warning strike around the city, and their demands are more substantial than a banker’s bonus!
What Sparked This Cash-ous Situation?
Under the arresting banner of “Millionaire by Day, Beggar by Night,” around 200 brave souls marched through the financial district, voicing their grievances. The Verdi union has rallied workers from cash transport companies like Prosegur, Ziemann, and IWS, and they’re not just any workers; they are the unsung heroes who ensure that your cash is where it should be. However, it appears the compensation for their heroics has yet to be deposited.
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty—this warning strike is not just a casual stroll but reflects tense wage negotiations involving around 10,000 workers across the nation. And spoiler alert: the last round of talks went about as well as a lead balloon. The BDGW came to the table with an offer that could only be described as underwhelming, if not downright laughable. Come on, chaps! What are we doing here? Competing over who can pay the least while we’re juggling cash like it’s hot potatoes?
The Stakes: A Little Warning Strike or a Nationwide Crisis?
Mathias Venema, the Verdi secretary, articulately pointed out that while the cash supply in Hesse is not immediately threatened, the effects of the strike could ripple out like a pebble tossed into a pond. “If a machine breaks down today, it will not be repaired for the time being,” he warns. Well, that’s delightful! Nothing like a cash crisis to spoil your Friday, eh?
Meanwhile, Silke Zöller from the BDGW is weighing in on the potential impacts, poking at the rising tension like a cat batting around a ball of yarn. If participation spikes, we could be staring down the barrel of selective cash availability. Now that sounds ominous! Who knew that your ATM might suddenly turn into a treasure chest with its contents ransacked?
What Are They Demanding, Anyway?
So, what kind of crazy requests are these cash transport employees making? Nothing too outlandish, I assure you! They’re calling for overtime pay for hours exceeding eight per day, a holiday bonus and Christmas bonus each equal to half a month’s salary, plus a doughy 31 days of vacation based on a five-day work week. Oh, and they want hourly wages to rise to €21.50. It’s literally a cash demand—if you’ll pardon the pun!
But let’s be real here: these aren’t just pie-in-the-sky wishes. In an economy where cash is king, it’s about time the workers who transport that kingget their fair share. After all, without them, what’s a millionaire? Just another beggar by night, drowning in a sea of missed cash flows!
Frankfurt. In the shadow of Frankfurt’s banking towers, cash transport companies have demanded higher wages. Under the motto “Millionaire by day, beggar by night?” Around 200 demonstrators marched through the financial district. According to the Verdi union, the warning strike will continue until Friday. Employees from Prosegur, Ziemann and IWS were called upon to take part.
According to several demo participants, the cash supply in Hesse is not in immediate danger. “However, if a machine breaks down today, it will not be repaired for the time being,” says Verdi secretary Mathias Venema, describing the situation.
From the perspective of the Federal Association of German Money and Valuable Services (BDGW), the warning strike could have an impact on the availability of cash. If the strike participation is high, “then there will certainly be selective effects on cash availability,” said BDGW spokeswoman Silke Zöller when asked.
However, the customers have also made preparations together with the service providers and, for example, have larger ATMs in highly frequented locations. However, the extent of the warning strikes is large. If there is a nationwide call for a strike, it is something different than a warning strike, which should actually only last a few hours and not two days in a row before the weekend, says Zöller.
The background to the warning strike is the wage and collective bargaining negotiations for around 10,000 employees in the industry nationwide. According to Verdi, the BDGW did not present an acceptable offer in the second round of negotiations. Even after the subsequent warning strikes lasting several days, no improved offer was made.
The union demands that all times exceeding eight hours per working day be paid with overtime pay. In addition, it requires a uniform holiday bonus and Christmas bonus each amounting to half of the gross monthly salary and a vacation entitlement of 31 days based on a five-day week for all employees. In addition, Verdi is calling for significantly increasing wages – in Hesse, the hourly wage for cash drivers should rise to 21.50 euros. (dpa)
