No agreement has yet been reached in the collective bargaining negotiations for the approximately 95,000 employees in the German printing industry. The trade union ver.di has rejected a settlement proposal put forward by the Federal Association of Printing and Media. Talks will resume on 7 September 2026 in Hamburg.
At the start of the second round of negotiations, the BVDM’s negotiating committee highlighted the difficult economic situation facing many companies in the printing industry. The economic climate and structural changes are leading to low capacity utilisation in the sector and, consequently, reduced productivity. This is resulting in rising numbers of company insolvencies and business closures. The scope for pay rises is therefore more limited than in previous years.
The BVDM aims to reach a collective agreement that is sustainable for companies and has made a proposal to ver.di with a view to reaching an agreement. The employers’ offer provides for two linear pay rises: 1.6 per cent with effect from 1 January 2027 and 0.9 per cent with effect from 1 January 2028, over a 24-month period.
The trade union has rejected this proposal as inadequate. “Our offer is a serious step towards a viable collective agreement. What matters now is that we continue to work constructively together towards an agreement, rather than hardening our positions. Pay rises are only possible to the extent that companies can actually afford them. Ultimately, we need a solution that is financially viable for companies and can be accepted by both sides,” says the employers’ chief negotiator, Dr Klemens Berktold, summarising the position of the BVDM negotiating committee.
BVDM
The Federal Association of Printing and Media (BVDM) is the umbrella organisation for the German printing industry. As an employers’ association, a political trade association and a technical trade association, it represents the positions and objectives of the printing industry in dealings with politicians, public authorities, trade unions and the supply industry. The BVDM is supported by eight regional associations. Internationally, it is organised through its membership of Intergraf and FESPA. The printing industry currently comprises around 6,300 predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises with more than 99,000 employees subject to social security contributions.
