BREMEN/HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - The Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS) has presented an offer in the wage dispute over the pay of port workers. It includes two options with different terms, each with a significant real wage increase, the association announced on Saturday. The trade union Verdi announced that it would now present the offer to its members for a vote.

For two days, ZDS and Verdi had been negotiating in Bremen over pay for around 11,000 employees from Hamburg, Bremen and Lower Saxony. It was already the fourth round of negotiations in the wage dispute.

The wage dispute was accompanied by several warning strikes. Hundreds of employees had stopped work for days in the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Wilhelmshaven, Emden and Brake.

Employers make two proposals

According to the union, ZDS is offering an inflation compensation of 1,000 euros and an increase in hourly wages of 0.95 euros from January - for a period of twelve months. Alternatively, the association could imagine an inflation compensation of 1,400 euros and an increase in hourly wages of 1.15 euros for a term of 16 months. In both cases, employees would also receive higher shift allowances and 480 euros more vacation pay.

"The ZDS has once again increased its fair offer from the previous negotiations," the association announced after the renewed negotiations, without giving any details. "The offer is at the limit of what is possible and poses considerable economic challenges for the seaport companies."

Decision to be made at the end of August

The offer falls short of expectations, however, according to Verdi. Among other things, the union is demanding a three euro increase in hourly wages for employees with retroactive effect from June 1, as well as a corresponding increase in shift allowances. The collective agreement is to run for twelve months.

However, ZDS has taken up some demands, such as the increase in shift bonuses, the union announced. The members should now form their own opinion and vote on the offer. The Federal Collective Bargaining Commission will then decide how to proceed at its meeting on August 22 and 23.

ZDS is hoping for an agreement. "We are confident that we have found a long-term solution with the final offer and that this will restore confidence in the reliability of our ports," said Torben Seebold, lead negotiator for the ZDS./len/DP/he