Employees of municipal daycare centers and other social services took to the streets on Wednesday for better working conditions. Especially in northern Bavaria, many took part in warning strikes. Around 1,300 people came to a demonstration in Nuremberg, the Verdi union said. On Thursday, the focus should shift to the south of Bavaria, many are expected at a rally in Munich.
Affected by the warning strikes are daycare centers, crèches, kindergartens and after-school clubs, but also youth welfare offices, help for the disabled, senior citizens’ facilities or outpatient care. Among other things, the employees in social and educational services want more money, a right to further training and more time for educational work and the supervision of interns. First and foremost, the strikers want more appreciation and better framework conditions, said Verdi spokesman Hans Sterr. Employees in social and educational services wanted to be brought into line with other professions such as engineers – also from a financial point of view.
Many find the fact that one person often has to look after a large number of people to be a burden. “You can’t care enough about what you really want to do.” Verdi urgently demands changes, also to make social professions attractive for young people and to keep the employees. Many were burned out and therefore looked for other jobs, explained Sterr.
With the warning strikes, the unions want to put pressure on the third wage round on May 16 and 17 in Potsdam. There had already been warning strikes last week. Verdi and the Education and Science Union (GEW) complained that there was no sign of a rethink on the part of employers.
The daycare closures are likely to affect tens of thousands of parents across Bavaria. Since, according to Verdi, there is no emergency care this time, they have to find other places for their children. But the mothers and fathers are very understanding, said Sterr. They knew that employees care about the quality of care and working conditions. “The parents see that it is in their children’s interests if there are improvements.”