The five German states most affected by the latest round of strikes on Monday
Germany has recently seen a series of strikes amid a push for higher wages by state and local public sector employees. On Monday, the continuing industrial action will hit five states in particular.
Commuters in six states felt the impact of strikes first-hand on Friday on their way to work as local public transport employees walked off the job in an ongoing battle for higher wages. On Monday, union Verdi called for a new round of worker walkouts, this time mostly affecting public services such as hospitals and rubbish collection in five states, including Berlin.
However, Saxony - and especially Leipzig - also saw commuters stranded as public transport workers took part in the latest push for higher wages.
Here’s a look at who and where is the most affected.
Berlin joins the strike
Germany’s capital has largely been exempt from the strikes which have been happening in the last few weeks. But on Monday, employees at the hospitals of Vivantes, Charité and the Jewish Hospital are taking part in the industrial action until Tuesday morning. Verdi estimated that around 1,000 hospital employees in total would be walking off the job.
READ ALSO: Will Deutsche Bahn staff be next to strike in Germany?
Meanwhile, 6,000 to 7,000 public service employees are also taking part in strikes. Employees of the city cleaning services, water operations and the Berlin swimming pools, for example, were called on to participate.
As a result, rubbish collection, bulk waste collection services and street cleaning will be cancelled all day on Monday and Tuesday and recycling centres will be closed, according to Verdi. Charité postponed scheduled surgeries, and some swimming pools closed their doors or limited their opening hours.
Employees of the Charité stand in front of the ward building in Berlin-Mitte with a sign reading "Strong together" during Verdi's warning strike on Monday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Fabian Sommer
Limited strikes in Baden-Württemberg
According to DPA, the strikes in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg will mainly affect Mannheim, where city administration and municipal services will be largely shut down.
As reported by the Badische Zeitung, Verdi has also called on some hospital employees to strike between 6 am and 10 pm - affecting four clinic locations in Lörrach, Rheinfelden and Schopfheim. Emergency care will be provided during this time but operations will be postponed.
Rubbish collection in Bavaria affected
Germany’s largest state saw local public transport employees walk off the job en masse on Friday and, on Monday, Verdi called on employees at public utility services to walk off the job.
READ ALSO: Public transport disruption on Friday as workers across Germany strike
This meant that street cleaning and garbage collection came to a standstill in several cities. Verdi also called on employees of the Aschaffenburg-Alzenau hospital to stop work on Monday. However, an emergency service agreement was made between Verdi and the two hospital locations.
On Wednesday, daycare centre (Kita) and Hort (after-school care) employees throughout the entire state are also set to join the strike action.
Kita closures in North Rhine-Westphalia
Last week Germany’s most populous state saw major strike actions which led to mass flight cancellations and a near paralisation of public transport in some cities. This week daycares (Kitas) will mostly be affected. A number in Cologne already closed their doors on Monday, and on Wednesday all Kitas in the city will follow suit, reported Focus Online.
Saxony
Meanwhile, northern Saxony will be hit a little harder.
Regional bus company "Nordsachsen Mobil" is to go on strike until Wednesday, March 8th as part of the collective bargaining negotiations. Employees of the bus company "Regionalbus Leipzig" will also stop work for three days, meaning that there will be limited public transport in Leipzig and northern Saxony during this time.
In Dresden, public transport workers and employees at the Dresden Municipal Hospital were called upon by Verdi to strike all day Wednesday. Here, planned operations may be cancelled, but not vital surgeries.
Why are employees striking?
In the negotiations for the approximately 2.5 million employees in local and federal public sectors, the trade union Verdi and the civil servants' association dbb are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least €500 more per month over a period of twelve months.
In the last round of negotiations, employers offered a total pay increase of five percent in two steps and one-time payments totalling €2,500, which Verdi rejected as "insignificant".
There will be further warning strikes until the third round of negotiations with the employers at the end of March.
READ ALSO: More strikes planned as German union rejects public sector pay deal
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Commuters in six states felt the impact of strikes first-hand on Friday on their way to work as local public transport employees walked off the job in an ongoing battle for higher wages. On Monday, union Verdi called for a new round of worker walkouts, this time mostly affecting public services such as hospitals and rubbish collection in five states, including Berlin.
However, Saxony - and especially Leipzig - also saw commuters stranded as public transport workers took part in the latest push for higher wages.
Here’s a look at who and where is the most affected.
Berlin joins the strike
Germany’s capital has largely been exempt from the strikes which have been happening in the last few weeks. But on Monday, employees at the hospitals of Vivantes, Charité and the Jewish Hospital are taking part in the industrial action until Tuesday morning. Verdi estimated that around 1,000 hospital employees in total would be walking off the job.
READ ALSO: Will Deutsche Bahn staff be next to strike in Germany?
Meanwhile, 6,000 to 7,000 public service employees are also taking part in strikes. Employees of the city cleaning services, water operations and the Berlin swimming pools, for example, were called on to participate.
As a result, rubbish collection, bulk waste collection services and street cleaning will be cancelled all day on Monday and Tuesday and recycling centres will be closed, according to Verdi. Charité postponed scheduled surgeries, and some swimming pools closed their doors or limited their opening hours.
Limited strikes in Baden-Württemberg
According to DPA, the strikes in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg will mainly affect Mannheim, where city administration and municipal services will be largely shut down.
As reported by the Badische Zeitung, Verdi has also called on some hospital employees to strike between 6 am and 10 pm - affecting four clinic locations in Lörrach, Rheinfelden and Schopfheim. Emergency care will be provided during this time but operations will be postponed.
Rubbish collection in Bavaria affected
Germany’s largest state saw local public transport employees walk off the job en masse on Friday and, on Monday, Verdi called on employees at public utility services to walk off the job.
READ ALSO: Public transport disruption on Friday as workers across Germany strike
This meant that street cleaning and garbage collection came to a standstill in several cities. Verdi also called on employees of the Aschaffenburg-Alzenau hospital to stop work on Monday. However, an emergency service agreement was made between Verdi and the two hospital locations.
On Wednesday, daycare centre (Kita) and Hort (after-school care) employees throughout the entire state are also set to join the strike action.
Kita closures in North Rhine-Westphalia
Last week Germany’s most populous state saw major strike actions which led to mass flight cancellations and a near paralisation of public transport in some cities. This week daycares (Kitas) will mostly be affected. A number in Cologne already closed their doors on Monday, and on Wednesday all Kitas in the city will follow suit, reported Focus Online.
Saxony
Meanwhile, northern Saxony will be hit a little harder.
Regional bus company "Nordsachsen Mobil" is to go on strike until Wednesday, March 8th as part of the collective bargaining negotiations. Employees of the bus company "Regionalbus Leipzig" will also stop work for three days, meaning that there will be limited public transport in Leipzig and northern Saxony during this time.
In Dresden, public transport workers and employees at the Dresden Municipal Hospital were called upon by Verdi to strike all day Wednesday. Here, planned operations may be cancelled, but not vital surgeries.
Why are employees striking?
In the negotiations for the approximately 2.5 million employees in local and federal public sectors, the trade union Verdi and the civil servants' association dbb are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least €500 more per month over a period of twelve months.
In the last round of negotiations, employers offered a total pay increase of five percent in two steps and one-time payments totalling €2,500, which Verdi rejected as "insignificant".
There will be further warning strikes until the third round of negotiations with the employers at the end of March.
READ ALSO: More strikes planned as German union rejects public sector pay deal
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