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Collective bargaining dispute: Public service: Unions reject offer

Collective bargaining dispute: Public service: Unions reject offer

The fronts seem hardened in the collective bargaining dispute over the public service. Despite lengthy negotiations and an offer from employers, new strikes are on the horizon.

There is no sign of agreement in collective bargaining for the public sector. The employers made an offer on Thursday at the end of the second round of negotiations, but the unions immediately rejected it. Verdi and the civil servants’ association dbb announced an expansion of the warning strikes if they are not improved.

The offer from the federal and local governments includes, among other things, a pay increase of five percent in two steps and one-off payments totaling 2,500 euros. In addition, the so-called Christmas bonus for all employees is to be increased. “This offer is an expression of respect,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).

According to the Association of Municipal Employers’ Associations, the offer is “reaching the limits of what is feasible”. “For example, just the inflation compensation money and the increase in pay for a garbage worker results in a plus of a little more than 12 percent,” said CEO Wolf-Rüdiger Michel. The negotiating teams wanted to discuss further on Thursday evening.

More warning strikes announced

Collective bargaining is expected to resume at the end of March. After two days of consultations in Potsdam, employers and unions adjourned until March 27, a Verdi spokesman said.

Shortly after the offer was rejected, Verdi announced further warning strikes. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the union called on all public sector employees in the greater Cologne, Bonn and Leverkusen areas to go on an all-day warning strike on Monday. Verdi announced that this would result in significant restrictions in local public transport and at Cologne/Bonn Airport. In the past few weeks there had already been warning strikes by public sector employees nationwide.

Silberbach: bring resentment to the streets

“If we have to assume that the offer will remain as it is, then there will be an increase in terms of both the duration of warning strike days and the number of areas affected by the third negotiation date,” said Verdi boss Frank Werneke previously. Apparently, the past actions and protests were not enough to get employers to rethink. “Then we’ll go a step further,” emphasized Werneke.

The federal chairman of the civil servants’ association, Ulrich Silberbach, had warned against a clear answer in the next few days. “The initial reaction we have already received from the negotiating commission shows that there is great displeasure.” Therefore, this resentment must be brought further onto the street.

Verdi and dbb are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more per month. The employer side had rejected the demands as “unaffordable”.

The negotiations concern, among other things, educators, nurses, bus drivers, geriatric nurses, firefighters, garbage workers and a number of other professions that are employed by the federal government or in municipalities. A separate collective agreement applies to the employees of the federal states.

Source: Stern

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