Hundreds of students and staff took to the streets, rallying outside the Brandenburg state parliament, driven by the desire for improved working and learning conditions. This demonstration was a part of the nationwide university action day and saw around 150 participants marching through the city center, according to Erik Zander, the student representative of the Education and Science Union, who addressed the crowd on Alter Markt on Monday.
Their primary demands included better remuneration for employees, enhanced Bafög rates for students (effectively inflation compensation for all), longer-term contracts for student assistants, and improved financial and professional security for mid-level lecturers.
The Left Party parliamentary group in Brandenburg state parliament showed their support for the demonstrators' cause, with ISABELLE Vandre, their spokesperson for higher education policy, voicing her concerns regarding the impact of fixed-term contracts, poor pay, and intense publication expectations on academics' ability to teach and students' learning experience.
Moreover, Vandre pointed out that over 300,000 student employees nationwide work without a collective agreement and urged the federal states to resolve this situation during the ongoing collective bargaining round.
Verdi, the union representing employees in the public sector of German federal states, also played a pivotal role. They called for salary increases of 10.5% for employees and additional financial support of at least £500 and £200 for trainees and junior staff. Moreover, Verdi actively works towards reaching a collective agreement for student employees, recognizing their crucial role in universities.
The ongoing issues in universities, such as the lack of secure contracts and fair wages for mid-level lecturers and student assistants, have led to demands for tariffs to be implemented. In response, the Left Party parliamentary group in Brandenburg state parliament is pushing for a resolution to these issues during the current collective bargaining round. With the Left Party's history of advocating for workers' rights and social justice, they are likely to employ various strategies and initiatives to address these pressing concerns.
