Hospitals, water companies, city cleaning: Warning strikes today and tomorrow

A few days before the next negotiations, the trade union Verdi has again called on public sector employees in Berlin to go on warning strikes.

On March 23 and 24, employees in a "large part" of the public sector companies are called to strike, a union spokesman said Wednesday. Among others, municipal hospitals, water utilities, city cleaning and the student union will be affected. On March 27, there will be another warning strike at Charité, Vivantes and the Jewish Hospital.

Collective bargaining dispute in the public sector

The background of the strikes is a collective bargaining dispute in the public sector. Verdi and the civil servants' association dbb are demanding 10.5 percent and at least 500 euros more pay for the 2.5 million employees nationwide. The employers presented an offer in the second round of negotiations at the end of February. Among other things, it includes a total pay increase of five percent in two steps and one-off payments totaling 2,500 euros. However, the unions immediately rejected this. The third round of negotiations begins on Monday.