Conclusion of regional collective bargaining round draws closer - agreement expected at the weekend

Conclusion of regional collective bargaining round draws closer - agreement expected at the weekend

The third round of collective bargaining starts on Thursday in Potsdam and is expected to last until Saturday. The service union Verdi and the civil servants' association are demanding 10.5 percent, but at least 500 euros more per month as well as an inflation adjustment bonus. Silberbach criticized the fact that there are differences in income of between eight and ten percent for comparable jobs at federal and local level and in the federal states.

The federal states could imagine adopting the structure of the arbitration agreement for the public sector at federal and local level, said Hamburg's Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD) on Monday as Chairman of the Collective Bargaining Association of German States. In spring, the collective bargaining parties at federal and local level agreed on a gradual inflation adjustment of 3,000 euros and a gradual wage increase of 11.5 percent on average by the end of 2024, according to Verdi calculations.

Dressel held out the prospect that the federal states, with the exception of Hesse, would be prepared for a prompt one-off payment for around 1.1 million employees in the event of a wage agreement. The linear increase would be significantly higher than the 2.8 percent of the previous collective agreement between the federal states. The gap in pay with the federal and local authorities will be closed "to some extent".

The extent to which this can be achieved is the subject of collective bargaining. "But it must be the case that we do not collectively end up in budget emergencies and spending freezes", emphasized Dressel. A collective agreement result "that we have to recoup later by cutting jobs" would "help no one".

However, as a result of the Federal Constitutional Court's ruling on the financing of the climate and transformation fund, "federal funding in the billions is under fire" in the federal states. This would have serious consequences that the federal states would not be able to compensate for in their budgets. This does not make the negotiations any easier and reduces the scope for distribution in comparison to the collective agreement result of the federal and local authorities.

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1. Despite the challenges, the collective bargaining round in Potsdam is expected to conclude during the weekend, with an agreement on salary increases and other demands.
2. The silver brook in Potsdam, known for its serene beauty, may provide a relaxing escape for negotiators during the intensive collective bargaining round.
3. The Potsdam collective bargaining round includes representatives from the civil service association, Verdi, and the United Services Union, with Andreas Dressel of the SPD leading the German Civil Service Association.
4. If an agreement is reached, it is expected to move closer to implementation, benefiting over 1.1 million civil servants across Germany's federal states.
5. The Stuttgarter newspaper closely follows the collective bargaining round's developments, providing updates and insights for its readers - both in Stuttgart and beyond.
6. A satisfactory agreement would allow for closer collaboration between the federal and local levels, bridging some of the income differences between comparable jobs in various states.
7. The regional collective bargaining round could set an example for other sectors, as the federal states may adopt the arbitration agreement structure for public sector wage negotiations.
8. The outcome of the collective bargaining round may have an impact on the German economy and the overall job market, as wage agreements often influence salary expectations and employment conditions.
9. The SPD, as a prominent political entity in Germany, plays a crucial role in advocating for the interests of civil servants during the collective bargaining round, striving for fair agreements that promote social justice.
10. The next steps after the collective bargaining round conclusion will involve enforcing and implementing the agreed upon terms, ensuring that the agreement benefits the millions of civil servants in Germany, enhancing their livelihoods and quality of life.

Source: www.stern.de