Title: Verdi Urges State Employees in Bavaria to Join Warning Strike Ahead of Wage Negotiations
With the third round of wage negotiations for the country's 1.1 million state employees looming, the Verdi trade union has stirred up a storm in Bavaria, calling on all employees to partake in warning strikes on Monday. The strike action is expected to affect numerous sectors including university clinics, universities, state theaters, administrations, tax offices, road maintenance departments, and other offices, according to the deputy regional director Sinan Öztürk. Over 10,000 strikers are anticipated to attend two rallies in Munich and Erlangen.
Verdi is demanding a 10.5% pay rise, with at least a €500 monthly increase, in the ongoing public sector wage dispute. The third round of negotiations will take place in the historic city of Potsdam on December 7. The civil servants' association has already urged the adoption of the collective agreement result for the 1.4 million state civil servants. However, the Tarifgemeinschaft der Länder (TdL), headed by Hamburg's Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD), considers the demands to be excessive and unaffordable. Öztürk stressed the need for good working conditions and competitive incomes for a robust public service.
Impact Across the State
- Hospitals and administrative offices in Bavaria could see employees from the United Services Union participating in the warning strike, further amplifying the impact.
- The University Hospital in Munich, one of the largest in Germany, may be affected by the strike, possibly causing disruptions for both patients and staff.
- Although the third round of negotiations is scheduled to commence in Potsdam, the Theater in Munich, a cultural cornerstone of Bavaria, might be forced to cancel or reschedule performances due to the anticipated warning strike.
- Universities across Bavaria might also be impacted, potentially resulting in lecture and research activity disruptions.
- United Services Union members throughout Germany are pressuring for improved working conditions and wages that keep pace with inflation during the negotiations.
As the third round of wage negotiations approaches, stay tuned for updates on the public sector wage dispute and its effect on state employees in Bavaria.
