Making war in the public sector: who might be affected by the warning



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After unsuccessful collective bargaining, the public service has announced warning strikes. Therefore, nurseries, swimming pools or offices could close daily next week. What restrictions to expect now.

Since the second round of collective bargaining with public employers was unsuccessful, the unions want to increase the pressure. Ver.di asks for an increase in public service rates by 4.8 percent, but at least 150 euros, for a period of twelve months. The remuneration of apprentices will be increased by 100 euros, the partial retirement regulations will be improved and the working day in the east will be aligned with that in the west.

Nurseries, hospitals, public order offices or road maintenance services are just some of the areas in which strikes and therefore restrictions can occur. There are thousands of different job profiles in the public service. Among other things, kindergarten teachers, bus drivers, restroom clerks, firefighters, nurses, clerks, geriatric nurses, sewer clerks, foresters, and doctors work here. None of these areas is excluded from the strike from the beginning. Parents of younger children could be as affected as, for example, road users on urban streets. In the latest round of collective bargaining in 2018, massive warning strikes made life difficult for hundreds of thousands of parents, commuters and passengers for days.

Starts on Tuesday in some regions. The unions are giving more details step by step.

The huge contrasts between the two sides. “We are very far apart,” said the municipalities’ chief negotiator, Mayor Ulrich Mädge of Lüneburg, at the beginning of the second round of negotiations. Ver.di boss Frank Werneke speaks after scandalous behavior, a delaying tactic and a misunderstanding of the seriousness of the situation with municipal businessmen. Nor is the corona pandemic a reason to refrain from strikes. “Strikes mainly mean that work stops,” Werneke said.

Protection against infection. Unions do not want to hold street demonstrations without keeping their distance. And union strategists estimate that after the daycare centers closed in the spring, many parents would likely have little understanding of the closed facilities due to the wage dispute. As a precautionary measure, the union party assures that the nurseries would not go on strike for more than one or two days in a row. In the health service, among other things, many employees also find the work ethic to be particularly strong in times of crisis, so warning strikes amid the pandemic could be difficult for many employees.

An immediate one. Example 2018: Three increases were agreed to until March 1, 2020 for the last round of income thus far. In the first step, a garbage collector with the highest salary level received 82 euros more per month, that is, 2712 euros. A lawyer from salary group 13 increased his income by 160 to 5683 euros.

Employees of hospitals, savings banks and airports, for whom it is also negotiated in special outsourced rounds. For airport employees, for example, ver.di is targeting a restructuring or an emergency collective agreement. Because here there is the risk of large-scale layoffs.

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced an offer from employers for the third round of negotiations. This is scheduled for October 22 and 23. That sounds like the expectation of a deal these days. The talks could also fail. Then an arbitration would come or, less likely, regular strikes would follow.

Source: dpa

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