In the collective bargaining dispute for the approximately 890,000 employees in the construction industry, a mediator is now supposed to move.
After the negotiations were broken off, the industrial union Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt (IG BAU) called the arbitration on Monday, as expected.
As in the previous year, the President of the Federal Social Court, Rainer Schlegel, is to lead the talks.
"The arbitration is the last chance: Either the employers give up their blockade or there will be a nationwide strike on the construction sites," warned IG-BAU boss Robert Feiger.
The union put the strike risk as “fifty-fifty”.
The fifth round of negotiations last week had also failed to produce a result.
The union is demanding 5.3 percent more wages and salaries for employees.
The wages in the east are to be adjusted to the west level.
Employers still have to move a lot here, it said.
The central point of contention in the group is the demand to compensate construction workers for their sometimes long journeys to construction sites.
IG BAU asked for an acceptable offer.
The collective agreement in the booming construction industry expired on June 30th.