Löhne steigen: Tarifeinigung in NRW – Durchbruch im Einzelhandel
In den Verhandlungen für den Einzelhandel einigen sich Gewerkschaft und Arbeitgeber in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Der erste Abschluss der bundesweiten Tarifrunde könnte anderen Regionen als Vorbild dienen.
In the fifth round of negotiations, employers and trade unions in North Rhine-Westphalia's retail sector have reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. This marks the first such deal in a tariff area since the federal-wide talks began in the spring. According to a Verdi spokesperson, other regions may look to NRW's example.
The agreement will take effect in August 2026, with employees seeing a 3% pay increase. A further 2% raise will come in May 2027. For the lowest wage groups, a minimum hourly wage of €14.20 will apply from August 2026, rising to €14.90 from May 2027. Verdi estimates around 700,000 people work in NRW's retail sector. Employers described the compromise as painful, with Verdi trade union negotiator Henrike Eickholt saying they secured an outcome that brings noticeable wage increases for workers.
The union had sought 7% more pay, with a minimum of €225, over a 12-month period. Employer negotiator Christopher Ranft called the agreement a challenging, painful compromise for many businesses. Nationwide, about 3.4 million people work in retail, and the percentage of wage-earners bound by a collective agreement has been falling in recent years, standing at 23% in 2024. Nationally, 49% of employees were covered by a collective agreement in 2024.
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