Municipal daycare centers initiate a three-day work stoppage.

Work stoppages - Municipal daycare centers initiate a three-day work stoppage.

Following a previous strike call last week for better working conditions, unions Verdi and GEW have stepped up their efforts against the Berlin Senate. Since Monday, over 280 municipal daycare centers have been on strike for three days, as announced by the unions. Approximately 7000 educators and support staff, who care for about 35,000 children in these facilities, have joined the strike.

A spokesperson for Verdi claims that approximately 3000 employees are participating in the strike. The union is demanding a collective agreement that improves working conditions in the daycare centers, which often suffer from staffing shortages. Proposed measures include capping group sizes, compensation for stress-related issues, and enhanced training programs.

The Berlin Senate has yet to respond to these demands, citing their status as a member of the Tariff Community of German States (TdL) as a reason for their inability to act independently. The education administration reports that there are roughly 2900 daycare centers in the city, many of which are managed by private providers. Nearly 165,000 children are enrolled in these facilities, including approximately 10% who attend the state-run municipal institutions.

Press Release: Strike Demand Verdi (June 4th)

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1. The Berlin Senate faced criticism from the United Services Union (USU), a sister organization of GEW, for their response to the strikes in Berlin's daycare centers.
2. The strikes have disrupted the routine of many families in Berlin, as some parents had to adjust their work schedules due to the closure of their children's kindergartens.
3. In response to the ongoing strikes, the Berlin Senate has warned of potential consequences for those participating in the 'warning strike', emphasizing that job security and employment contracts may be affected.
4. GEW and Verdi argued that the working conditions in Berlin's kindergartens have been neglected for too long and that their actions aim to bring about a positive change for the educators and support staff.
5. The Berlin Senate's inability to act independently in this matter has led to calls from the trade unions for the creation of a Berlin-specific collective agreement, separating the city from the Tariff Community of German States (TdL).
6. Despite the disruptions caused by the strikes, some supporters of the GEW and Verdi have rallied behind the unions, expressing their solidarity with the educators and staff who are fighting for improved working conditions in Berlin's daycare centers.

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