Tariffs - Verdi pushes ahead with warning strikes in the public sector
A few days before the potentially decisive third round of collective bargaining for the public sector in the federal states, the Verdi trade union is stepping up its warning strikes in Hamburg. On Monday, thousands of employees were called to lay down their work in protest against the employers' stance. The warning strikes are to continue on Tuesday. "In two rounds of negotiations, the employers have not even managed to present an offer, but have primarily rejected the employees' demands," said Verdi's deputy regional head Ole Borgard. "The last few weeks clearly show that verbal appreciation is no longer enough."
On Tuesday, as on Monday, there will be a kick-off rally at Besenbinderhof in front of the union building. This will be followed by a demonstration march through the city center.
Verdi is demanding a 10.5 percent increase in income for public sector employees in the federal states, but at least 500 euros more per month. The union is also demanding a monthly city-state bonus of 300 euros. The Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder (TdL) with its chief negotiator, Hamburg's Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD), had made it clear in the second round of negotiations that it did not consider the demands to be affordable.
The third round starts on Thursday. The negotiations are directly concerned with the salaries of around 1.1 million employees. Around 1.4 million civil servants are also affected, to whom the result is usually transferred. In Hamburg, around 46,000 employees are affected, including trainees, as well as 42,000 civil servants indirectly.
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- The United Services Union, a counterpart to Verdi in the UK, has expressed its support for the German trade unions' actions, warning of potential trade disputes if the tariff negotiations in Germany fail.
- In response to the ongoing warning strikes, many public services in Hamburg, such as garbage collection and childcare, could be disrupted, leading to inconvenience for residents and businesses.
- Regarding the standoff in the collective bargaining round, Germany's employers' association has urged the trade unions to consider the financial implications of their demands, particularly in light of the country's economic recovery post-pandemic.
- Amidst the ongoing strikes and rising tensions, some members of the German public have criticized the Tarifgemeinschaft deutscher Länder for not being more flexible on salary negotiations, arguing that a compromise is needed to maintain public services' stability.
- In the midst of the round of negotiations, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a resolution to the conflict, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong and functioning public service sector for the well-being of citizens and the country's future.
Source: www.stern.de
