Train, school and public order office
DGB complains about increasing violence against employees
September 14, 2023, 11:40 a.m
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According to a survey by the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB), many public sector employees experience both verbal and physical violence during work. More than half of those surveyed say they are regularly insulted. DGB vice-president Hannack calls for investments “in more staff”.
The German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) has complained about increasing violence against employees in the public sector. “Employees in public areas are increasingly lightning rods for the personal dissatisfaction of citizens in this country,” said DGB Vice President Elke Hannack to the newspapers of the Funke media group. A survey shows that dissatisfaction is particularly high in rail transport, public order offices, administration and the school system.
Employees in the public service and the privatized sector often experience disrespectful behavior, as shown by the DGB study, which the Funke newspapers quoted: A quarter reported physical attacks, a third reported threats and a majority of 61 percent reported insults. According to the survey, the numbers are significantly higher than in other professional groups, but contact with people is also very high in the areas mentioned.
In March 2023, Deutsche Bahn (DB) informed the newspapers of the Funke media group that the number of attacks on DB employees had increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year to 3,138 attacks. According to the DB, 189 of these attacks resulted in serious bodily harm. According to the DB, the majority of reported incidents involve simple physical injuries, which usually cover acts such as jostling, hitting and spitting.
These are the causes
The reasons for this development “are obvious,” said Hannack, “acute staff shortages, dilapidated infrastructure and complicated administrative processes.” According to a survey by the editorial network Germany (RND) of the states, the German school system was missing more than 12,000 teachers in January 2023.
. Public services have been cut short for decades and as a result the state regularly has difficulty fulfilling its tasks. What is therefore needed is more investment from the public sector, “in more staff, in the expansion of a modern, digital administration, in comprehensive education, care and health care, in functioning local and long-distance transport and, of course, in security,” Hannack demanded in Funke -Newspapers.
1196 people were interviewed for the survey in August. A DGB conference on violence against employees in the service of society will take place in Berlin on Thursday.