Negotiations in Potsdam
Agreement in the tariff dispute: More money for the public service
Unions and employers have been fighting income and working hours of more than 2.5 million employees since January. Now there is a result.
Unions and employers have reached an agreement in the collective bargaining dispute at the public service of the federal government and the municipalities. The German press agency from negotiation circles learned this. Details did not become known at first.
There was a compromise proposal for arbitrators on the table. They had proposed to raise the income in two stages: from April 1, 2025 by three percent, but at least 110 euros a month, and then another 2.8 percent on May 1, 2026. 27 months were recommended as a term of the new collective agreement. The package also included more flexible working hours, higher layer allowances and further details.
Despite the simple proposal for long struggles in the tariff dispute
Although the cornerstones were clear, the fourth round of negotiations in Potsdam wrested for more details for hours. One dispute was temporarily that there should be the option for employees in the future to voluntarily increase the weekly working hours to 42 hours. Employees fear that they could be put under pressure to perceive this “voluntary” solution.
It is about more than 2.5 million employees in a variety of important jobs from administration to daycare centers and garbage disposal to local transport and airports. The tariff conflict touched many citizens because there have been warning strikes again and again since January.
114, 117, 449 days: The longest and biggest strikes in Germany
1948: General strike
It is the first and so far the only general strike after 1945 in West German history. On November 12, 1948, the British and American occupation zone – the so -called bizone – machines and bikes, as here in Frankfurt am Main. Around nine million workers take part in the industrial action mentioned at the time. They protest against too high prices and for more wages and participation in the companies. The long-time IG Metall Justitiar Michael Kittner in 2005 judged in his book “History. History, Law, Present”: “The political success of the strike was in a blatant contrast to its scope and technical efficiency. He was practically zero.”
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For the employees, the unions Verdi and DBB civil servants’ association sat at the table, for the employers the association of municipal employers VKA and the Federal Ministry of the Interior. After three rounds, the negotiations had been declared failed in mid -March. There was a arbitration with a break.
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Source: Stern
