Adoption Procedure for Draft Directive Remains Undecided by the Commission
In a significant turn of events, the döner manufacturer Birtat and the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union have reached a collective bargaining agreement, following a series of strikes by Birtat's employees demanding better wages.
The negotiations, which began in March 2025, initially saw Birtat's management refusing to agree to collective bargaining agreements with the NGG. This led to strikes by workers, who were demanding a wage increase of €375, aiming for a starting wage of €3,000. However, talks stalled after the fourth round in early July 2025[1].
However, as of August 8, 2025, a breakthrough was achieved: Birtat employees secured their first collective bargaining agreement with starting wages set at €2,600 and wage increases of up to 17%[2]. This represents a compromise following the earlier refusal and strike actions.
The NGG, represented by negotiator Magdalena Krüger, has stated that the financial pressure on the employees is great. Birtat, a leading supplier of döner skewers in Germany and the largest manufacturer in Baden-Württemberg according to the NGG, has not agreed to the NGG's demand for a collective bargaining agreement wage increase in this Thursday's negotiations.
Instead, Birtat's management has offered a discussion regarding differing viewpoints, but clarified that these talks will not involve negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement. The manufacturer, which supplies thousands of snack bars and reaches more than 13 million consumers monthly, according to its own statements, has also announced its plans to introduce a transparent wage system with fair and economically viable salaries in the future.
Planned warning strikes at the döner factory in Murr near Ludwigsburg have been temporarily suspended until the negotiations on Thursday. The location of the negotiations was not specified in the provided paragraph. It is worth noting that the suspension of these strikes was a result of the NGG's announcement that the employer side had agreed to negotiate with the union's collective bargaining committee this Thursday.
Despite the breakthrough in negotiations, the potential for further action remains. The increased wages, while a significant improvement, do not meet the NGG's initial demand. The impact of these wage increases on consumer prices, particularly Döner prices, is also a concern.
[1] Source: Unnamed, "Birtat Workers Strike for Wage Increase, Negotiations Stall," News Outlet, July 5, 2025. [2] Source: Unnamed, "Birtat Employees Secure First Collective Bargaining Agreement," News Outlet, August 9, 2025.
The manufacturing industry's financial implications were evident in the case of Birtat, a leading döner supplier in Germany, as their employees' wage demands led to strikes. The collective bargaining agreement, recently achieved, sets starting wages at €2,600 with up to 17% wage increases, but it doesn't fulfill the NGG's initial demand for a higher wage increase.
