Brewery Kindl-Schultheiss delivers accurate beer servings, faces issue with empty kegs.
Berliner-Kindl-Schultheiss-Breuerei Workers Strike Over Wage Dispute
Employees at the Berliner-Kindl-Schultheiss-Brauerei in the district of Hohenschoenhausen have halted production after the Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststaetten (NGG) called for a strike from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening. This action comes as part of ongoing wage negotiations for a new house collective agreement for the brewery, which is owned by the Radeberger Group and the Oetker concern. The old agreement expired on March 31st.
The union has expressed concerns that the current wage offer of a 4.4 percent increase over two years is insufficient. They are instead demanding a 7 percent increase within one year, plus an additional 150 euros per month for apprentices. The Radeberger Group has reportedly taken a hard line in the negotiations, leading to a potential "beer uprising," according to the NGG.
This is not the first time that employees have staged a strike. According to the NGG, a total of 115 hours have been struck so far, and further strikes are possible in the near future. Uwe Ledwig, the NGG district leader, stated that "the cost of living in the city is becoming increasingly unaffordable" and that the union wants Berlin beer to continue to be brewed in the city. The NGG is therefore demanding a new improved offer that can offset price increases.
There are a total of 240 employees in beer production, 110 in delivery, and 17 in manual empty bottle logistics at the site. The NGG is demanding a 50 euro per month increase for the latter two groups, as they fall behind the wages of the brewers. The site is reportedly running economically well and is one of the best among the twelve breweries of the Radeberger Group.
The brewery spokesperson, Tobias Teubner, stated that the company has sufficient stock levels to deliver its Berlin beer brands, both bottled and draft, even in the event of a warning strike by a portion of its workforce. Negotiations are ongoing, and Teubner declined to further comment on the current wage negotiations.
According to recent reports, the NGG union has been advocating for a 6.6% wage increase for brewery workers across Germany, while employers have proposed a 2% raise for 2025 and a 2.2% increase for 2026. Further negotiations are set to continue in July. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it is advised to consult direct sources or recent news releases from the NGG union or the Radeberger Group.
The industrial action at Berliner-Kindl-Schultheiss-Brauerei, a part of the broader Radeberger Group, is linked to a dispute in the finance sector, specifically the wage negotiation for a new house collective agreement in the brewery business. The Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststaetten (NGG) is pushing for a substantial increase in wages, including a 7% hike within a year and additional pay for apprentices, an demand that seems to contrast with the company's position.