German bank union seeks AI relief days in private banking labor talks

Germany’s bank employees’ union DBV plans to push for "AI relief days" in upcoming labor talks with private-sector bank employers, arguing that artificial intelligence and automation have intensified work in some departments rather than eased it. Under the proposal, staff in units where workloads are formally found to have increased because of AI-related changes could receive 1 to 3 extra days off per quarter, or as many as 12 days a year. The first round of talks is scheduled for Oct. 8 in Berlin and covers roughly 150,000 workers in the private banking sector. Employer group AGV Banken has rejected the idea, saying it would raise labor costs at a time when automation is already eliminating some jobs. The union is also seeking a 9.5% pay increase from Oct. 1 under a 24-month contract, along with higher apprentice pay, the option to buy extra vacation days, and a transition model for older employees with reduced working hours and a monthly knowledge-transfer bonus.