The Verdi union is calling on workers in social and educational services to go on strike. The parents are still understanding.
It’s boiling. The negotiations falter. The faces of those working in social and educational services are getting longer and longer, and the parents are holding their breath. For today, the Verdi union is again calling for a strike in daycare centers and social facilities. “We have been fighting for the upgrading of social work for many years,” says Verdi Vice Christine Behle. The employer side recently rejected the demand for a 10.5 percent increase in salary, but at least 500 euros more per month for a period of twelve months.
It is only superficially about the money. So also, as an appreciation of the work done. But the employees primarily demand relief, more staff for the facilities and more time for quality in the educational work. For example, preparation and follow-up times that teachers have long taken for granted. They only existed on paper, educators scold.
Many are simply exhausted, say those affected. After two years of Corona with incredible extra effort in day-to-day business, there is no breathing space, no slow return to normality. Instead, an additional task has been added to integrate children and young people from the Ukraine.
However, Sanaz Faraji sounds rather exhilarated on the phone. Exhausted from work, but somehow combative. She works as an educator in Rödermark. “It’s now the third day that we’re on strike,” she says, and that she actually sees progress: “We’ll be seen.” In Rödermark, all colleagues in all facilities are involved in the strike. But she herself is suspended. Faraji is not a Verdi member, so he does not receive strike pay. Today she will help out in emergency care, albeit not in the usual environment. “No one has signed up with us yet.” That’s why she’s probably stepping in at another daycare center.
In Frankfurt, too, many facilities organize emergency care. At least the 148 in municipal sponsorship. However, it is difficult for the management to estimate the exact numbers of where and how many employees are going on strike, says Ramona Pistone from the press office of Kita Frankfurt. “The employees can decide that on the day of the strike.”
Warning strikes in Hesse
In northern Hesse strike the employees in day-care centers, youth centers, general social service (ASD), youth court assistance, i.e. educators and social workers in municipal facilities. The colleagues of the Lebenshilfe Waldeck-Frankenberg and the Bad Emstaler Verein (Psychiatry) are also invited. The strikers from the social and educational services from the districts of Hersfeld-Rotenburg also take part. Demo from 10 a.m. at the Opernplatz in Kassel.
In central Hesse Called are employees, trainees, interns and students in the social and educational services of all departments of the local government. Also the independent providers in the scope of the TVöD, such as AWO and Lebenshilfe. This affects the districts of Gießen, Marburg/Biedenkopf and Lahn-Dill. The strikers travel to Marburg. Demo at 9 a.m. from the Georg Gassmann Stadium to the Erwin Piscator House in Marburg.
In Born are the employees in the areas of social work and education, i.e. day-care centers including housekeeping staff, aid for the disabled BWMK / Kompass Lebenshilfe, within the city administration of Hanau the family and youth work / KSD also the office for senior citizens and volunteer work, the city school office and the adult education center, at which District administration Main-Kinzig the youth welfare office and parts of the health department. The striking employees in the social and educational service of the district of Fulda also take part in Hanau. Gathering at 10 a.m. on Freedom Square in Hanau, short train past the clinic and the market square, around 11 a.m. back on Freedom Square for the final rally.
In Frankfurt and In the surrounding area, the employees in day-care centers and the social work facilities of all municipal departments are on strike. This also affects the district municipalities of Hochtaunus, Main-Taunus and Wetteraukreis, the district of Offenbach and the EKO Offenbach. Oberurseler workshops, Praunheimer workshops, Haimbachtal workshops, AWO district association FFM, AWO perspectives GmbH, Frankfurt social homesteads association, VzF-Taunus are also called . Among other things, the Left Federal Chairwoman Janine Wissler is announced. She is to say greetings to the demonstrators. Train through the city center with individual stations. Planned end around 4 p.m.
In Wiesbaden strike the employees of the social and educational service of the city and the AWO as well as the youth welfare in Kiedrich of the AWO perspective. Demo at 9 a.m. from the main station.
In Limburg strike employees of the social and educational service of the city, the life support Limburg / Diez and Rheingau-Taunus. Demonstration: 10 a.m
from the Verdi office, in the large pipe 8th rally from 12 noon on Europaplatz.
In Darmstadt from 2 p.m. at the DGB-Haus Darmstadt, Rheinstraße 50, demonstration at Luisenplatz, 3 p.m. rally at Luisenplatz together with the feminist strike alliance. (prmk)
Each institution tries to inform the parents as early as possible. Especially those families in which both parents work and are indispensable in the job. On the day of the strike itself, there is also a telephone hotline for questions (069 / 212 414 00).
So far, the municipal daycare centers have come through strike days with emergency care, says Pistone. “It was seldom the case that we had to close a facility completely.” But the empirical values are only reliable to a limited extent. The most recent strike took place on February 17. But who knows how many people then joined the union or were newly mobilized.
“The parents are doing very well,” praises Sanaz Faraji meanwhile. So far no one has complained about the strikes. It’s probably similar in Frankfurt. “There is still no outcry,” says Thomas Krohn from the overall parent advisory board of the municipal children’s centers in Frankfurt. At the same time, parenthood is divided, he concedes. There was agreement across the board when it came to the concerns of the employees: that more staff was needed, that skilled workers should be better paid, that the job could simply be more attractive. However, when the childcare time is reduced, many parents react critically. The conflict should not be carried out on their backs, it said.
Today the parents have to improvise, says Krohn, one cannot say in general how the families will bridge the childcare shortage on the day of the strike. “Many are still working from home, so they can leave the children at home.” Which of course is not ideal, neither for the children nor for work. “Some have the advantage of being able to use the grandparents.” Others have massive problems.
Understanding still prevails among the parents, says Krohn. How that develops “depends on the course of the negotiations”. Especially since the parents also closely followed the negotiations on the Frankfurt budget. If the budget is reduced there in terms of childcare, this may have an impact on the childcare offering.
