Public Sector Employees Keep Up the Struggle in Hamburg and Beyond
It's Tuesday in Hamburg, and public sector workers are once again taking a stand, this time demanding higher wages. The trade union Verdi has rallied school and education authority employees to participate in the warning strikes, setting up a gathering at Dammtor station at 11 a.m. Not immune to this labor action are the vast number of civil servant teachers in Hamburg, barred from striking themselves.
Verdi’s demands are clear and ambitious. The union seeks a 10.5% increase in income for employees across the public sector, translating to a minimum of 500 euros more per month. Junior staff desire a 200 euro raise, while trainees and dual students aim for permanent contracts. Additionally, the union is pushing for a nationwide collective agreement for student employees.
However, the collective bargaining association of the federal states categorically rejects these demands as unreasonably high and unaffordable. With an estimated 1.1 million employees to account for, negotiations will carry on into the third round of talks in Potsdam on December 7. The outcome of these discussions will also impact the approximately 1.4 million civil servants expecting to see its effects.
Trade unions in different federal states are actively encouraging various professional groups to join the strikes, hoping to strengthen their bargaining power with the collective bargaining association. As the public service sector's labor unrest intensifies, particularly in Hamburg, discussions surrounding tariffs and their potential effects on wages continue.
Insight from enrichment data: - Verdi is advocating for a 7% pay increase for Deutsche Post employees, along with an additional three days of holiday leave for all employees and four days of extra leave for ver.di members. - Strikes have impacted services in cities such as Bochum, Bottrop, and Monchengladbach, resulting in the suspension of public transport, cultural, and medical facilities in Aachen and Monchengladbach. - Even though Hamburg is not directly mentioned as a strike location, the national public sector strikes may still indirectly affect the city due to national service disruptions or supply chain interruptions.
