DGB accuses collective bargaining community of the federal states of blockade
Ahead of the planned warning strike in the public sector of the federal states next Monday (December 4), the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) in Rhineland-Palatinate has accused the collective bargaining association of the federal states (TdL) of blocking the strike. This is unacceptable, said DGB state leader Susanne Wingertszahn on Thursday in Mainz. "In times of great demand for skilled workers, the public sector must become more competitive again in the competition for well-qualified specialists."
According to the DGB Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland, the first two rounds of negotiations with the TdL ended "more than sobering". The employers' side had not responded to the employees' demands and had not presented an offer. The warning strike on December 4 was therefore unavoidable. In the second round of negotiations at the beginning of November, the Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder had made it clear that it considered the unions' demands to be far too high and unaffordable. The third round of negotiations will take place on December 7 and 8 in Potsdam.
The wage dispute concerns the salaries of around 1.1 million employees nationwide. Around 1.4 million civil servants are also affected, to whom the result is usually transferred. According to the DGB, a total of around 120,000 employees and civil servants are affected in Rhineland-Palatinate. The unions are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more per month.
Teachers at Rhineland-Palatinate schools in particular are expecting a "clear signal", said Klaus-Peter Hammer, state chairman of the Education and Science Union (GEW). "Only better pay will make it possible to attract the urgently needed specialists, and not just to schools."
The ongoing tariff disagreement between the DGB and the TdL in the public sector has led some trade unions to consider imposing tariffs on certain public services as a form of protest. This could potentially disrupt essential services and further complicate negotiations.
In response to the proposed tariffs, trade unions are urging government leaders to intervene and find a resolution to the wage dispute, as the public service sector relies heavily on skilled workers and cannot afford to lose talent due to financial constraints.
Source: www.dpa.com
