As of: 02/23/2023 6:57 p.m
In the collective bargaining dispute in the public sector, the employers have presented an offer: a wage increase of five percent in two steps and one-off payments of 2,500 euros. The unions immediately rejected it.
The employers have presented a first offer in the collective bargaining round for the 2.4 million employees of the federal and local governments. It includes a linear increase in wages of three percent this year and a further two percent in the coming year, said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) on the sidelines of the second wage round in Potsdam.
In addition, there should be tax and duty-free one-off payments totaling 2500 euros – spread over two years. Furthermore, they want to raise the so-called Christmas bonus for all employees. “This offer is an expression of respect,” said Faeser.
Offer to “Limits of the Feasible”
According to the Association of Municipal Employers’ Associations, the offer is already at the “limits of what is feasible”. CEO Wolf-Rüdiger Michel said that the inflation compensation money alone and the increase in wages for a garbage collector, for example, resulted in a plus of a little more than twelve percent.
Unions: Offer is a sham
The service union ver.di and the German Association of Civil Servants (DBB) are demanding 10.5 percent more salary, but at least 500 euros per month. Both unions described the employer’s offer as a “cheat package”.
The offer will not be accepted by the employees, said ver.di federal boss Frank Werneke. The offered linear increase corresponds to a volume of five percent. That is not enough to compensate for inflation. Apparently, the past actions and protests were not enough to get employers to rethink. “Then we’ll go a step further,” emphasized Werneke.
DBB boss Ulrich Silberbach announced a very clear answer from the employees: “The initial reaction we have already received from the negotiating commission shows that there is great displeasure.” This resentment must be taken to the streets.
The third wage round is again planned for March 27th to 29th in Potsdam.