faq
Collective bargaining for the federal states’ public services begins. What are the unions demanding? What are the countries’ positions? And are warning strikes to be expected?
Who is negotiating for?
According to the ver.di 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 or nurses. 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 ver.di and the civil service association dbb sit at the table.
What are the unions demanding?
The unions are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more. Young talent should receive 200 euros more. The tariff period should be twelve 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.
The unions base their demands on high inflation. Ver.di chairman Frank Werneke said the need to catch up was “huge”. 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, said Werneke.
The head of the civil service association dbb, Ulrich Silberbach, said that the states had to immediately submit an offer that could 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 is the position of the countries?
The TdL chairman, Hamburg’s Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD), replied that the demands exceeded the states’ ability to pay. There is a “significant need for skilled workers” and 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.
“Unfortunately, the demand ignores the dramatic budgetary situation of many countries, which is currently worsening. The countries must continue to be able to act, especially in these times of crisis. Given this particularly challenging initial situation, I expect extremely difficult negotiations,” explained Dressel.
According to TdL, implementing the demands would cost the states at least 19 billion euros. 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 new warning strikes to be expected?
Warning strikes are to be expected. As is usual with 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?
After months of struggle and arbitration for the federal and local governments, a result was reached in the collective bargaining dispute in April. According to this, 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 were agreed. A takeover is possible, but not mandatory: “Of course it will be a benchmark,” admits TdL boss Dressel. Werneke justifies the states’ identical demand with the aim of “the most uniform conditions possible” across the entire public service.
There will likely be a hard fight to accept the agreement. 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?
One of the very controversial trade union demands is the demand 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.”