Beginning of new collective bargaining for the public sector: It’s about billions and the income at schools or university hospitals. This is also likely to have an impact on citizens.
In the midst of the current times of crisis, collective bargaining for the federal states’ public services begins this Thursday. Unions and employers are far apart – warning strikes are programmed. Answers to the most important questions:
Who is negotiating for?
According to the Verdi union, 1.2 million people are covered by collective bargaining agreements in the federal states. If you include the civil servants to whom a qualification is usually transferred, you get more than three million people affected. Negotiations are taking place for teachers at schools, teachers at universities as well as nurses and doctors at university hospitals.
The penal system and justice system are just as affected as the daycare centers in Berlin. Hesse is excluded because the state is not in the collective bargaining community of German states (TdL), with which Verdi and the civil service association dbb sit at the table.
What are the unions demanding?
10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more. Young talent should receive 200 euros more. The tariff period should be 12 months. For Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen, the unions are demanding a city-state allowance of 300 euros.
The unions had already entered the most recent collective bargaining round for the federal and local governments with a demand of 10.5 percent, or at least 500 euros more.
How do the unions justify their demands?
Verdi chairman Frank Werneke points to the high inflation. “The backlog is huge,” says Werneke. He believes that the “limit of load” has been exceeded in many public institutions. 300,000 positions are unfilled across the public sector, and state employees are at the bottom when it comes to pay.
The head of the civil service association dbb, Ulrich Silberbach, says that the states must immediately submit an offer that can reach a consensus out of sheer self-interest. “Because they risk falling behind in the labor market in terms of pay and competitiveness, which is ruinous.”
What do countries respond?
The TdL chairman, Hamburg’s Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD), replies that the demands exceed the states’ ability to pay. Although there is a “significant need for skilled workers”, the states should not lag behind the federal and local governments.
But: tax revenues are currently crumbling. The budgets are tight, but the tasks are large. The states are also in tough financial disputes with the federal government.
What sums are involved?
According to TdL, implementing the demands would cost the states 19 billion euros – at least. Schleswig-Holstein’s Finance Minister Monika Heinold (Greens) referred to the 34 percent share of personnel costs in the state budgets. If there were “disproportionately high increases” here, it would be difficult for the rest – for example in supporting the municipalities, which are also heavily burdened.
Are there a threat of new warning strikes?
Yes. As is usual in collective bargaining rounds for the public service, citizens have to prepare for strikes again. Werneke says: “There’s real pressure on the boiler.” They are preparing for warning strikes and actions. “The employees of the federal states do not want to and will not be left behind.” However, the extent of the strikes is still unclear. Dressel is unimpressed: “It’s all part of the business.”
What role does the conclusion of the federal and local governments play?
“Of course it will be a benchmark,” admits TdL boss Dressel. Werneke justifies the identical demand with the aim of “the most uniform conditions possible” across the entire public service.
In April – after months of struggle and arbitration – a result was reached for the federal and local governments: among other things, tax- and duty-free special payments totaling 3,000 euros, a base amount of 200 euros and then 5.5 percent more.
Will the April conclusion simply be carried over?
There will be a hard fight for this. Werneke says: “I fear that the TdL wants downward deviations in all places.” Dressel thinks that the union side will strive for a “TVöD plus” – that is, they want to have something on top of the conclusion of the collective agreement for the public service for the federal and local governments.
The employers wanted to stay below it. According to TdL, a transfer would cost around 17 billion euros. That too is too much for the countries.
Where are the other sticking points in the negotiations?
Among other things, the union demands for a minimum amount for lower income groups and a city state allowance. The bottom line is that, according to employers, this could result in an income increase of up to 38.2 percent in Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg.
“We understand that we need elements that take lower pay groups more into account,” says Dressel. In his opinion, that would confuse the scale of the tariff structure.
What are the prospects for the negotiations?
“The goal is that we want to be through before Christmas,” says Dressel. There could be a result at the third round of negotiations on December 7th and 8th in Potsdam. If this round fails, there would be no arbitration because there is no corresponding agreement between both sides. Werneke says: “If there was no result in December, further negotiation dates would be absolutely necessary.”