Further warning strike by educators and teachers in Berlin
Some parents in Berlin will once again have to look for alternative childcare options for their children today. This is because the Verdi and GEW unions are once again calling on employees of Berlin's daycare centers to go on a warning strike for more money and better working conditions. Around one in five children in Berlin's daycare centers attends a municipal facility. Educators and teachers in schools, university employees and social workers in youth, health and social services offices are also to strike again. In Berlin-Mitte, the trade unions are planning a demonstration (10.00 a.m.) and rallies as part of a nationwide so-called Education Strike Day.
The background to this is the current wage dispute in the public sector of the federal states. No agreement has been reached in two rounds of negotiations to date. Negotiations are taking place nationwide, with the next round scheduled for December 7 and 8 in Potsdam. In this context, the unions have repeatedly drawn attention to their demands with warning strikes in Berlin in recent days and weeks.
Among other things, Verdi & Co are demanding a 10.5 percent increase in pay in the current round of collective bargaining, but at least 500 euros per month over a period of twelve months. For trainees, the increase should be 200 euros. The unions are also demanding a city state bonus of 300 euros for Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen. The employers have not yet made an offer.
The ongoing wage dispute in the public sector of federal states has led to escalating actions, including tariffs on services provided by daycare center staff in Berlin. This could impact not only municipal facilities but also kindergartens, as educators and teachers participate in the strikes. The Federal Administration, while not directly involved in the education sector, may still feel indirect effects due to the widespread nature of the strikes.
Source: www.dpa.com
