Tariffs: Public sector employees still on warning strike

Tariffs: Public sector employees still on warning strike

Hundreds of public service workers in North Rhine-Westphalia will also stop working on Wednesday. With the warning strikes, the unions want to increase the pressure on the federal states in the collective bargaining dispute.

Hundreds of workers in North Rhine-Westphalia are continuing their warning strikes in the public service dispute. You want to increase the pressure on employers.

In addition to the staff from the university clinics in Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Essen, employees from the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and the penal hospital in North Rhine-Westphalia in Fröndenberg / Ruhr also took part in the sometimes full-day strike on Wednesday.

In total, around 1,600 employees went out of work in North Rhine-Westphalia alone, the service union Verdi announced at noon. Warning strikes were also announced in Berlin and Lower Saxony.

Emergency services in hospitals agreed

The unions had called for the warning strikes. Already last week and on Tuesday around 2000 collective bargaining employees had drawn attention to their problems with warning strikes, including at the numerous NRW university hospitals. The unions have concluded emergency service agreements with the hospitals on strike in order not to endanger the well-being of the patients – especially in view of the rapidly increasing corona numbers. Nevertheless, numerous surgeries that were not necessary had to be postponed again. Some stations were completely closed.

An emergency room at the Essen clinic was closed due to the strike measures. The employer ordered some strikers back to the clinic through the emergency service agreement. In Düsseldorf, one of the two company daycare centers had to remain closed, and according to Verdi there was a “partial bed closure” on four wards. The ambulance was also partially out of order.

Wrong time?

Critics argue that it is the wrong time for warning strikes in view of the sometimes critical situation in the intensive care units. They see patient care at risk due to massive impairments.

The third round of negotiations between Verdi and other employee representatives and the collective bargaining association of German states (TdL) will take place in Potsdam at the end of November. In addition to better working conditions, the unions are demanding five percent more wages, but at least 150 euros per month, for public sector employees in the federal states. In addition, trainees and interns are to receive 100 euros more per month. The TdL has so far rejected the demands as unrealistic and has not yet submitted an offer.

According to Verdi, the warning strikes will continue on Thursday in North Rhine-Westphalia. Then employees of the Ruhr-West University of Applied Sciences and the Cologne district government with the Bonn branch also want to stop work. According to the unions, the State Statistical Office (IT.NRW) and the Oberhausen district court will also be on strike on Friday.

Source From: Stern

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