150 participants at university demonstration in front of the state parliament
Around 150 students and employees demonstrated in front of the Brandenburg state parliament for better working and study conditions. The protest with a demonstration through the city center was part of the nationwide university action day, said Erik Zander, student representative of the Education and Science Union, at the opening rally on the Alter Markt on Monday.
It was about better pay for employees and higher Bafög rates for students, said Zander, "in other words, inflation compensation for everyone." In addition, the mostly short-term contracts of student assistants should be secured for the longer term. Mid-level lecturers should also have secure contracts and better pay.
Support came from the Left Party parliamentary group in the Brandenburg state parliament. "Fixed-term contracts, poor pay, competition and pressure on academics to publish have a direct impact on teaching and therefore on studying," said their spokesperson for higher education policy Isabelle Vandre. "At the same time, over 300,000 student employees work at universities across Germany without a collective agreement." The federal states could put an end to this situation in the current collective bargaining round, said Vandre.
As part of the wage negotiations with the federal states, the union is demanding a salary increase of 10.5 percent for employees in the public sector of the federal states, at least 500 euros and 200 euros more for trainees and junior staff. Verdi is also pushing for the conclusion of a collective agreement for student employees.
Universities across Germany are facing issues with the lack of secure contracts and adequate pay for mid-level lecturers and student assistants, leading to calls for tariffs to be implemented. The Left Party parliamentary group in Brandenburg state parliament advocates for an end to these issues during the current collective bargaining round.
Source: www.dpa.com
