Wage deal at Deutsche Post

Germany's 132,000 postal workers are due to get 5.7 percent higher wages in the course of the next 26 months, Deutsche Post said Friday.

The partly state-owned German postal service also said the wage agreement would take effect in August with the increase being paid out in two steps. Wages would be hiked 3.1 percent beginning August 1, while a second increase to the tune of 2.6 percent would follow in October 2014. Apprentices at the company get 6.1 percent more as of April 1.

The agreement would give Deutsche Post planning security with regard to staff costs, the chief negotiator for the management Angela Titzrath told reporters after marathon overnight talks on Friday.

The wage commission of labor union Verdi also agreed to the deal. The union originally had sought a minimum 6 percent increase for its members, pressing its demand during several warning strikes by letter sorters and carriers in April.

Although the union failed to reach its goal, Verdi chief negotiator Andera Kocsic described the wage hike as high enough.

Deutsche Post is a globally active delivery and logistic corporation employing 430,000 workers worldwide. Its letter division is expected to contribute about 1.2 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to prospected 2.9 billion euros in operating profits. The company outlook already included a wage hike in this region, Deutsche Post said.

uhe/hc (Reuters, dpa)