Trade union verdi has called on workers at the northern German port of Hamburg to go on strike on Friday, after ongoing negotiations in a wage dispute failed to yield results.
Verdi is in talks with the association of Central Association of German Seaport Operators on better wages for some 6,000 employees at the country's largest seaport, but a second round of negotiations on Thursday did not produce any results, according to the union.
"The offer presented by the employers is completely inadequate," said verdi negotiator Maren Ulbrich. In order to ramp up pressure, the union called on dockworkers to stop work on Friday from 5.30 am (0330 GMT) until late in the evening.
Verdi is demanding an increase in hourly wages of €3 ($3.26) as of June 1, as well as a corresponding increase in shift allowances.