University hospital employees called out on warning strike
Patients at Frankfurt University Hospital must be prepared for restrictions this Wednesday (November 8) due to a warning strike. The strike has been called by the trade union Verdi. The work stoppages are to begin with the early shift and end at the end of the late shift. Around 4000 employees, trainees, interns and students who are paid according to the collective agreement of the federal states will be affected, according to the union.
The background to this is the wage dispute in the public sector of the federal states. According to Verdi, Frankfurt University Hospital is the only company in Hesse that falls under the collective bargaining regulations of the 15 federal states of the Tarifgemeinschaft der Länder (TdL). The collective agreement of the state of Hesse applies to all other Hessian state companies and offices. Emergency service agreements have been concluded with the employer for the warning strike. "There will be restrictions because wards and areas will be closed or reduced. Emergency medical care is guaranteed," it said.
Not only had the employers not submitted an offer, they had also made it clear that they were not prepared to reach an agreement at the level of the public sector collective agreement, explained Verdi's Hessian collective bargaining coordinator Jens Ahäuser. This means that state employees should receive less money for the same work than their colleagues in federal and local government departments.
The unions are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more. Junior staff should receive 200 euros more. The wage agreement is to run for 12 months. For Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen, the unions are demanding a monthly city-state bonus of 300 euros. The demands thus tie in with the wage agreement reached in April of this year for the federal government and local authorities. The Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder (TdL) had made it clear that it considered the demands to be far too high and unaffordable.
The ongoing tariff dispute in the public sector could also impact hospital services beyond strikes, as the trade union Verdi might consider widening their actions. Furthermore, some propose that the government should reconsider tariff policies to ensure fair pay for all public service workers, including hospitals.
Source: www.dpa.com
