The German Printing and Media Industries Federation (BVDM) and the trade union ver.di have reached a new wage agreement for printing industry employees during the fourth round of negotiations. The agreed-upon long-term duration provides planning certainty and alleviates the financial burden on companies amidst the ongoing difficult economic climate.
Collectively agreed wages for manual workers in the printing industry will rise in three stages: by 2.0 percent on January 1, 2027; by a further 1.0 percent starting July 1, 2027; and by another 2.0 percent starting April 1, 2028. The agreement runs for 29 months, meaning it can first be terminated effective December 31, 2028.
To further boost the appeal of apprenticeships in the printing and media sector and to secure a sustainable supply of skilled workers for companies, it was also agreed to raise apprentice remuneration by a disproportionate 7.0 percent. This increase will occur in two steps of 3.5 percent each, taking effect on November 1, 2026, and April 1, 2028.
“Our industry is under immense economic pressure. Against this backdrop, finding a balanced solution was anything but easy. However, with the agreement now reached, we have succeeded in reconciling the interests of employees with the economic capabilities of the companies,” explains Dr. Klemens Berktold, the BVDM’s chief negotiator.
The BVDM views the long term of the collective agreement particularly positively. “However, there is no cause for euphoria. The agreement leads to a noticeable increase in labor costs. Employers agreed to the deal partly because the additional burdens remain manageable over the long term and provide companies with urgently needed certainty for planning and cost calculations,” summarizes Dr. Klemens Berktold, the employers’ chief negotiator.
The negotiating parties have agreed on a deadline of November 3, 2026, for the relevant bodies within the BVDM and the trade union ver.di to ratify the agreement.
BVDM
The Bundesverband Druck und Medien e. V. (BVDM) is the umbrella organization for the German printing industry. Acting as an employers’ association, a political business association, and a technical trade association, it represents the printing industry’s positions and objectives vis-à-vis policymakers, administrative bodies, trade unions, and the supplier industry. The BVDM is supported by eight regional associations. At the international level, it is represented through its membership in Intergraf and FESPA. The printing industry currently comprises around 6,300—predominantly small and medium-sized—enterprises employing more than 99,000 people subject to social security contributions.
