BREMEN (dpa-AFX) - Employers and employees are negotiating again in the wage dispute between seaport companies. The fourth round of negotiations began this morning in Bremen and is scheduled to last until Friday evening, according to the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS).

The wage dispute is accompanied by several warning strikes. In the morning, port workers in Brake, Lower Saxony, stopped work. "The strike has been running since 6 a.m. and is expected to last into the evening," said a spokesperson for the Verdi trade union. The employees from Brake were called to take part in a rally outside the negotiating venue in Bremen. Warning strikes had already taken place in the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Emden, Bremen and Wilhelmshaven.

Employers offered a wage increase of 2.9 percent

Verdi is demanding, among other things, a three euro increase in hourly wages for employees with retroactive effect from June 1, as well as a corresponding increase in shift bonuses. The collective agreement is to run for twelve months.

The ZDS most recently offered a wage increase of 2.9 percent as of June 1, but at least 80 cents more per hour. The shift premiums were to increase by 33 cents to 3.50 euros.

"We were still far apart in the third round of negotiations," said Verdi negotiator Maren Ulbrich. "It is important that the lower wage groups in particular are financially relieved by the wage increases."/cwe/DP/mis