Ditsch Bakery Workers Strike Over Wage Disparities
A 40-hour strike by employees at the large Ditsch bakery in Oranienbaum, called by the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union, concluded Saturday. The action aimed to address wage differences between workers in eastern and western Germany.
Employees at the Ditsch bakery in Oranienbaum, Saxony-Anhalt, have ended a 40-hour warning strike called by the Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) union. The strike, which concluded Saturday morning, focused on reducing wage disparities within the food industry, where workers in eastern Germany reportedly earn up to a third less than their counterparts in the west.
According to the NGG, the primary goal is to eliminate a "low-wage East" situation and close the salary gap. The union rejected a company offer of approximately 12 percent in gradual wage increases over three years, with over 88 percent of surveyed union members voting against it.
The company stated that it expects no impact on customer deliveries. Ditsch previously offered a voluntary 3.5 percent wage increase effective June 1, 2026. An employer association previously indicated a plan to gradually reduce the wage gap over eight years.
Ditsch, part of the Swiss Valora Group, operates bakeries in Mainz and Oranienbaum. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for July 15.