With renewed warning strikes in Berlin and Brandenburg, the Verdi union has been increasing the pressure on employers since Thursday morning before the next round of negotiations. Among other things, the state-owned hospitals, the city cleaning and the water companies are affected. The actions started as planned in the morning, union spokesman Max Manzey said on Thursday. “Participation is good.” Around 1,000 participants have so far been counted at the Vivantes clinics and the Charité alone.
In Brandenburg, city administration employees in Frankfurt (Oder) and Eisenhüttenstadt were called on Thursday to stop working. In Eisenhüttenstadt, the daycare centers were also affected. Here, too, the warning strikes have started, said a spokesman. In Frankfurt, a rally in front of the Stadthaus is planned for the morning. In Berlin there should also be a rally in front of the Ministry of the Interior.
The Charité had previously announced that planned, non-urgent interventions would have to be postponed again. On the other hand, time-critical tumor operations, transplants, operations on children, the care of patients after a stroke, heart attack and other emergencies should not be postponed.
The Berlin city cleaning department prepared people for the fact that organic, residual waste, and in many places also recyclable waste bins could only be emptied again from Saturday. The recycling centers are expected to remain closed on Saturday.
Verdi and the civil servants’ association dbb are currently negotiating nationwide on new tariffs for the approximately 2.5 million federal and municipal employees. They demand 10.5 percent and at least 500 euros more wages. The employers submitted an offer in the second round of negotiations at the end of February. Among other things, it includes a pay increase of five percent in two steps and one-off payments totaling 2,500 euros. The third round of negotiations begins on Monday.
