Further strikes averted
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This is how the collective bargaining agreement in the public sector looks like
A sigh of relief in public service: the months-long struggle for more money for the approximately 2.5 million employees is over. Indefinite strikes are therefore no longer an option – although wage conflicts are still ongoing in other areas.
- Collective bargaining dispute for around 2.5 million public sector employees is over
- Union members still have to agree to a compromise – Verdi boss Werneke is optimistic
- 3,000 euro package is intended to cushion consumer and energy prices
- Total federal costs amount to 4.95 billion euros
- Municipal employers’ associations assume a burden of 17 billion euros
- further warning strikes on the railways and at airports are possible
Indefinite strikes in garbage disposal, nursing services or swimming pools – with the collective bargaining agreement in the public sector, such a scenario is also off the table for consumers.
After months of wrangling, the collective bargaining parties of the federal government, local authorities and trade unions accepted the main points of the arbitration decision published last week late on Saturday evening. The collective bargaining dispute for the approximately 2.5 million employees in the
public service is over. The trade union members still have to finally vote on the compromise. Verdi boss Frank Werneke said he was convinced that he could win the members over to the agreement.
Relief of consumer and energy prices
With the largest collective wage increase in decades in the public sector, the drastic rise in consumer and energy prices is cushioned for federal and local employees. Initially, one-off payments totaling 3,000 euros that are free of taxes and duties are intended to dampen the effects of inflation on federal and local employees. The first 1,240 euros will be available in June. From July and until February 2024, 220 euros will flow each month.
Verdi boss Werneke praises tariff increase
According to the agreement, from March 2024 the employees will then receive a basic amount of EUR 200 gross per month as well as a subsequent increase of 5.5 percent – but at least EUR 340 gross more. The term of the new collective agreement is 24 months.
“This is the largest tariff increase in post-war history in the public sector,” said Verdi boss Werneke after the talks.
Collective bargaining burdens municipalities
The total costs of the agreement for the federal government alone for the agreed term amount to around 4.95 billion euros. The municipalities are even assuming a multiple of this burden. The President of the Association of Municipal Employers’ Associations, Karin Welge, spoke of the “most expensive collective bargaining agreement of all time”, which will cost the already cash-strapped cities and communities around 17 billion euros.
Warning strikes still possible in some sectors
In recent months, Verdi has regularly paralyzed city administrations, public baths, garbage disposal and hospitals with countless warning strikes. Together with the railway and transport union – which is still in a wage conflict with 50 railway companies – there was a large-scale at the end of March
nationwide warning strike in the transport sector. Warning strikes and thus passenger disabilities are still possible on the railways and at airports, since other sectors are involved here.
The collective bargaining agreement that was reached applies to many professions – including women and men who work as educators, bus drivers, pool employees, firefighters, nurses and geriatric nurses, administrative employees, sewage treatment plant employees, foresters or doctors. It is about the income of more than 2.4 million employees of the municipal employers and 134,000 of the federal government.
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg Aktuell, April 23, 2022, 7:30 p.m