ver.di regional district
Rhineland-Palatinate-Saarland
P R E S S E I N F O R M A T I O N
Collective bargaining round for public service – Rhineland-Palatinate / Saarland
Disappointing start to negotiations – work stoppages start next week
The first round of negotiations for the more than 2.5 million employees in the public sector at federal and local level ended in Potsdam on January 24, 2023 without any result, the United Services Union (ver.di) announced.
Instead of a negotiable offer, there were only flimsy arguments and rejections. “The employers have rejected the required term of the collective agreement of 12 months and a minimum amount of 500 euros per month. At the same time, inflation hits employees with low and middle incomes particularly hard,” says Fabian Gödeke, deputy managing director in the ver.di district of Mittelrhein.
At the same time, the pressure on employees in all areas of public service is increasing. “In the coming days and weeks, the employees will vent this pressure with campaigns in many areas of public service in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland,” says Thomas Müller, Managing Director in the ver.di district Saar Trier.
“It will be unavoidable that these actions will also have an impact on the public,” Jürgen Knoll, Managing Director in the Palatinate, asks the citizens for their understanding in advance.
However, the behavior of the employers leaves no other option than to defend themselves with work stoppages in the companies and departments, the ver.di managing directors* agree.
In the Palatinate, the work stoppages will begin next week. Next Tuesday, February 14, 2023, there will be three regional strike events in Worms, Landau and Pirmasens. On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, all employees will be called to strike meetings in Ludwigshafen and Kaiserslautern. “We are still clarifying the details, but we expect a total of well over 2,000 strikers,” said the Palatinate managing director. Knoll expects day care center closures and restrictions in many areas of public service in the Palatinate.
In the forthcoming collective bargaining round, ver.di is demanding 10.5 percent more salary for federal and municipal employees, but at least 500 euros more per month for a period of twelve months. The collective bargaining result is to be transferred to civil servants, judges, soldiers and pension recipients at the same time and with the same effect. ver.di conducts collective bargaining jointly for GdP, GEW, IG BAU as well as with dbb civil servants’ association and tarifunion.
The second round of collective bargaining will take place on 22/23. February 2023 in Potsdam. The third round is also scheduled for March 27-29, 2023 in Potsdam.
Questions regarding content:
ver.di Middle Rhine district
Fabian Gödeke
Assisstant CEO
Mobil: 0151 17704408
ver.di Palatinate district
Jürgen Knoll
Managing Director
Mobil: 0171 3053638
ver.di district Saar Trier region
Thomas Müller
Managing Director
Mobil: 0170 5749202
