Thursday, November 25, 2021
Before the decisive round
Verdi castigates the conduct of negotiations between the countries
At the weekend, the unions and the federal states meet again for collective bargaining talks. Then there should also be a result. Verdi calls for protests again and makes it clear that there will be no graduation without an appreciation of the work of the employees.
In the deadlocked collective bargaining dispute in the public service of the federal states, the unions insist on real wage increases with their demand for five percent more money. “We will not accept a corona emergency closure,” said Verdi boss Frank Werneke in front of 4,000 demonstrators at the central rally in front of the state parliament in Düsseldorf. “In this collective bargaining round, we will not conclude an agreement in which the special performance and commitment of our colleagues in the health sector is not seen and not recognized,” he added with a view to the next meeting in Potsdam at the weekend. Thousands of public service workers took to the streets for more money in numerous other cities as well. There were larger rallies in Berlin and Munich, for example.
The union representatives strongly criticized the fact that the collective bargaining association of German states (TdL) did not put an offer on the table in two unsuccessful rounds of negotiations and before the presumably decisive third meeting in Potsdam this weekend. “We still haven’t got a first offer from employers, despite weeks of negotiations. Ultimately, this is an expression of the lack of respect on the part of employers in the federal states for you, the employees,” Werneke called out to the demo participants. He accused the finance ministers of the federal states of having only “made the route” and “touched concrete” in the weeks of negotiations. In this collective bargaining round, there are three special points with the corona pandemic, inflation and employers who are brushed on riot, said the Verdi boss.
Among other things, Verdi calls for an income increase of five percent for all public service employees, but at least 150 euros for a term of one year. The wages and salaries in the health care system are to be increased by 300 euros per month, the training allowances by 100 euros. The federal chairman of the civil service association dbb also insists on 5 percent more money. He also called for a takeover guarantee for young people in the public service and a clear plus for student assistants.
The qualification is valid for more than one million employees in the federal states except Hesse. In addition, the result is usually on the respective state officials. The talks also have an impact on pensioners’ remuneration. In total, one degree is valid for up to 3.4 million people.