Trade unions call for warning strikes at universities
In the wage dispute in the public sector of the federal states, the trade unions are now focusing on the universities. On Monday, employees at 15 universities in North Rhine-Westphalia are being called to take part in all-day warning strikes. With the nationwide day of action, the unions want to emphasize their demand for significant salary increases. The work stoppages are expected to have an impact in areas such as university administration and building management. As civil servants, professors are not part of the wage dispute.
The unions are calling on employees in 50 cities across Germany to strike. At the same time, student representatives and higher education policy organizations are campaigning for higher BAföG rates. There will be joint demonstrations by trade unions and university organizations in Bochum, Cologne, Münster and Bielefeld, among others, under the slogan "Put an end to precarious science".
A special feature at the universities is the unions' demand to include the more than 300,000 student assistants nationwide in the collective agreement, said a Verdi spokesperson. So far, the working conditions of student employees who work as tutors at universities, for example, have not been regulated in a collective agreement. The action alliance also denounces the practice that young academics are often given one fixed-term employment contract after another.
The collective bargaining dispute in the public sector of the federal states concerns the salaries of around 1.1 million employees nationwide. Around 1.4 million civil servants, to whom the result is usually transferred, would also be affected. The unions are demanding a 10.5 percent wage increase, but at least 500 euros more for all employees covered by collective agreements. A third round of negotiations is planned for December 7.
Last week, Verdi called for warning strikes in the collective bargaining dispute in North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly for employees at university hospitals.
The trade unions are pushing for the inclusion of over 300,000 student assistants in the collective agreement, as they currently work without regulated conditions. Strikes by university employees could potentially disrupt university administration and building management, affecting various aspects of education.
Source: www.dpa.com
