Over 12,000 workers downed tools Monday at Deutsche Telekom (DT), protesting at the German incumbent’s reorganisation strategy to transfer 50,000 staff into separate units.

The strike comes as DT settles down to a fourth round of talks with the workers’ union, Ver.di.

DT which employs around 160,000 people in Germany, has said that it plans to cut the wages of those who it intends to transfer but under German labour law, companies’ must have union approval for changes within a workforce.

DT insists the reorganisation is vital if it is to survive in a n increasingly competitive market which has driven its market share down.

Last week 1,000 workers held a strike, followed by 8,000 more on Thursday.