German Daimler employees to get Easter bonus

DAIMLER employees in Germany will receive a bonus of up to €5400 ($A7592) as part of a profit-sharing initiative from the Mercedes-Benz parent company for contributions to its most successful sales year to date.

Approximately 130,000 workers in Daimler’s home country are eligible for the payment, which is due with their April pay packet, and comes after a record-breaking 2016 that saw around three million vehicles sold worldwide across passenger, crossover, light- and heavy-commercial vehicle segments.

Last year also saw Daimler group revenues rise three per cent from €149.5 billion ($A210.18 billion) in 2015 to €153.3 billion ($A215.53b), with a net profit of €8.8 billion ($A12.37b) – its highest yet.

Daimler AG board member responsible for human resources and director of labour relations, IT and Mercedes-Benz Vans Wilfried Porth praised the workforce for their efforts last year.

“Our employees are key to our success and our performance in 2016,” he said. “A committed and excellently trained workforce is essential to our long-term success as a company.

“The bonus is our way of thanking our employees for their dedication and their outstanding performance. Together, we achieved a lot.”

Daimler AG chairman of the general works council Michael Brecht said the bonus would help incentivise better results from its employees.

“Throughout the company the colleagues showed an incredible performance, as the company’s figures clearly indicate,” he said. “The reward for this great success for the workforce is well deserved.

“An important strategic aim of the general works council is achieved: The employees benefit from the year-end results and the gains in efficiency.”

Daimler has predicted a slight growth in sales, revenue and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for the 2017 calendar year which, if made a reality, should ensure another bonus for employees in 2018.

Mercedes-Benz Australia also increased its sales last year, with the marque selling 41,226 vehicles locally, a significant 13.3 per cent increase over its tally in 2015, making 2016 the brand’s most successful sales year to date.

The 2016 sales haul more than doubled its result a decade ago in 2006 (18,104), and placed it just out of the top 10 brands of the year in 11th place.