The recent warning strikes in the public sector have been met with criticism from municipal employers in Lower Saxony and from parents’ representatives of affected daycare centers. The KAV association, whose presidency includes mayors and district administrators, called the trade unions’ call for action on Tuesday – shortly before the next wage talks planned on Wednesday – a “signal in the wrong direction”. In addition, the outstanding payments sometimes affect companies of general interest. The state parents’ representative of the Lower Saxony day-care centers pointed out that parents and children would once again have to cope with major restrictions.
The employers, for their part, called on Verdi to “act in moderation”. In view of the somewhat abating inflation, the high wage demand must be reconsidered. This also leaves out the energy relief packages that have already started, criticized KAV general manager Michael Bosse-Arbogast. So far, there has been no significant convergence in the collective bargaining conflict. Verdi and the civil servants’ association are demanding an increase in income of around 10.5 percent, but at least 500 euros, for the around 2.5 million employees in the federal and local governments.
Many parents of daycare children have mixed feelings about the work stoppages. “We understand the union’s demands,” said her representative in the country, Christine Heymann-Splinter, of the German Press Agency. “Nevertheless, we would like to emphasize that warning strikes are at the expense of young families.”
These have already been badly hit by the measures taken in the Corona crisis – and recently in many places crèche contributions have been increased, while the care times have been reduced significantly in some cases. “The last thing we need right now are warning strikes and the loss of earnings for working parents.”
