Germany’s ver.di trade union has accepted the latest wage offer for seaport workers, averting the immediate threat of indefinite strike action at the country’s major ports. Ver.di’s Federal Collective Bargaining Commission approved the employers’ proposal following consultations over the long-running wage dispute. The decision means indefinite strikes at Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Emden, Brake and Wilhelmshaven have been averted for now. However, approval from the employer side is still pending before the process is formally completed. Ver.di accepts 12-month offer The accepted proposal provides for a 12-month collective agreement and a 3.4% increase in hourly wages, retroactive to August 2026. Holiday pay will increase by €200 for all employees covered by the agreement. Workers at high-turnover container operations will also receive an additional €416 in their annual allowance from January 2027. Ver.di negotiator Sylvi Krisch described the outcome as difficult but ultimately acceptable, with the union’s bargaining commission reaching its decision based on feedback from members and the overall situation. The collective bargaining agreement covers around 11,000 employees at tariff-bound port companies in Germany. Indefinite strike threat recedes The decision brings the dispute back from the prospect of a major escalation after German port workers had previously rejected the same 12-month employer offer. In September, more than 5,500 workers participated in an initial consultation, with 64.7% voting against the proposal. Ver.di subsequently launched a membership consultation under the conditions of a formal strike ballot, which ran until the beginning of October. The union had said that if at least 75% of participating members supported rejecting the offer and launching indefinite industrial action, its Federal Collective Bargaining Commission would consider declaring negotiations unsuccessful and proceeding towards indefinite strikes.