IT staff at three of Deutsche Bank's computer centres have gone on strike to demand higher wages.
Five hundred IT staff - representing 90% of the workforce - have downed tools at the Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Eschborn computer centres according to the Ver.di trade union which called the strike. The bank may face further industrial action at its Frankfurt headquarters tomorrow unless agreement can be reached over union demands for a 6.5% pay settlement, says Ver.di.
The action is likely to spread to other banks in Germany, as trade unions rise up in protest at a spate of job losses and cost-cutting measures affecting banking operations staff.
Deutsche Bank has confirmed the walk-out, but says all IT operations are continuing to run smoothly.