Dairy workers in Germany are ready to instigate a “massive nationwide strike” should a wage dispute not be resolved next week.

The Gewerkschaft Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG), a food trade union, said that a third round of negotiations with dairy companies, including Danone, Ehrmann and Nestlé, will take place on Monday 22 July.

Around 19,000 employees have been undertaking ‘warning strikes’ across 28 dairy and cheese factories throughout Bavaria, according to Mustafa Öz, chief negotiator and regional chairman of NGG Bayern.

He added that the strikes have “paralysed” more than 90 production shifts, resulting in “considerable production losses”.

The union is asking for a fixed-wage increase of €411 ($447) per month for each employee. It added that the employers have “only offered €150 as a fixed amount in the first year”. For the following year, they have presented an additional 2.5% pay increase.

“We are sending the employers a clear signal: there are only a few hours left until the next meeting at the collective bargaining table. But until then the warning strikes will continue non-stop,” said Öz.

“A fixed, reliable amount more in the wallet has a decisive advantage: everyone would benefit equally. This means skilled workers in the office and in the laboratory, but above all also the workers who have previously gone home with lower wages: namely employees in production and in the warehouse, for example.”

Just Food has contacted Danone, Ehrmann and Nestlé for comment.

Earlier this month, the NGG had already warned of “further escalation” in its dairy strikes in the Bavarian region.

Meanwhile, the union also revealed on Wednesday (17 July) that confectionery workers are set to initiate ‘warning strikes’ in Germany after failing to reach an agreed pay deal with a clutch of companies.

Some 5,900 employees in the confectionery industry in Bavaria are set to down tools.