POTSDAM (dpa-AFX) - The trade union Verdi has called on Telekom employees at the locations of the ten European Football Championship cities to hold warning strikes and actions in front of the stadiums. Verdi announced on Thursday that the fourth round of negotiations in the wage dispute with Deutsche Telekom in Potsdam, which was originally scheduled to last until Tuesday, had been extended until Friday.

Deutsche Telekom had announced on Tuesday that it had improved its offer to the employees. Verdi had rejected the offer as insufficient, but called it a "step in the right direction" that was appreciated. Warning strikes and actions have now been called in order to emphasize the demands.

Before the European Championship (June 14 to July 14) begins, the employees "have a legitimate concern that their demands for a substantial pay rise be met", said Pascal Rockert from Verdi. The actions on Thursday would once again draw attention to this./mrk/DP/zb