Risk of strike! Verdi calls for a massive wage increase for the public service

Risk of strike! Verdi calls for a massive wage increase for the public service

On February 4, 2025, warning strikes are imminent in the public service nationwide. The ver.di union calls for a salary increase of 8 % or at least 350 euros per month for employees. This requirement is the central topic in the ongoing collective bargaining, which started on January 24th with the first round of negotiations. So far, the employer side, which classifies the claims as very high, have not yet submitted an offer. The union now plans to put pressure on the employer in order to emphasize their claims. As WDR , the first warning strikes start in Gladbeck in the Ruhr area on Wednesday.

The employees of city administrations, savings banks and disposal companies in Gladbeck are called for strike. This has an impact on the citizens: garbage cans are not emptied, and the measures could also lead to daycare centers and the open all -day school (OGS). Some sponsors have already informed the parents, they should look for alternative care options. Larger strikes are planned for Thursday in several cities and municipalities.

width of the warning strikes

The warning strikes on Thursday will not be limited to Gladbeck. Employees in the city administrations of Bochum, Bottrop, Herne, Mönchengladbach, Siegen, Aachen, Viersen, Korschenbroich and Gummersbach are also affected. District administrations in Viersen, Düren, Heinsberg and the Oberberg district as well as municipal subsidiaries could also enter the strike. This could lead to closed citizens' offices and an impaired garbage disposal, and daycare centers and hospitals are also affected. In Herne, especially in Herne, the garbage disposal is also strike on Friday. Commuters in Mönchengladbach and Aachen have to adapt to possible restrictions in public transport.

The explosiveness of the collective bargaining is also evident in the context of the general situation in the public service. According to Tagesschau there is currently no lack of around 500,000 employees. In the next ten years, a significant personnel reduction of 1.4 million employees will be expected because many will retire. Unions warn of a “collapse” of the public service. At the same time, the employer, represented by the municipal employers and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, expresses concerns about the high costs that could arise from the demands of the unions.

The talks concerned fees for the federal and the municipalities' collective staff, with around 2.5 million people affected directly or indirectly. In addition to the general salary increases, the unions also require 200 euros more for trainees, higher surcharges for stressful professions and additional exemption days.

outlook on the negotiations

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for February 17th and 18th before the final round will take place from March 14 to 16. Again and again the VKA President Karin Welge emphasizes the enormous additional costs that are estimated to assume 14.88 billion euros. The tense budget situation, also against the background of a possible early Bundestag election, ensures additional complexity in the negotiations. Already in the past tariff round 2023, the employees received a wage increase of 5.5 % and special payments of 3,000 euros.

With the planned warning strikes, ver.di shows that the employees are motivated to stand up for their concerns in order to sustainably improve working conditions in the public service. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming weeks.