Elbe legal blow to Port of Hamburg

The German union Verdi and ZDS reached a new labour agreement for 11,500 North Sea port workers, pending a member vote.

Hamburg’s city parliament approved MSC’s entry as a major shareholder in HHLA, despite opposition, with final approval pending from the European Commission.

Negotiations for a new collective agreement at Germany’s North Sea ports are stalled as employees and the union reject the employers’ offers.

The Verdi union presented its members with two collective labour agreement options from the ZDS, affecting around 11,000 port employees.

The MSC’s 49.9% purchase of HHLA shares passed the first reading in the Hamburg Parliament, with support from the ruling coalition.

A strike over wage demands spreads to Wilhelmshaven, Bremen, and Emden, causing significant disruptions in operations and congestion at container terminals.