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German kindergartens hit by warning strikes on Wednesday

The Local (news@thelocal.com)
The Local ([email protected])
German kindergartens hit by warning strikes on Wednesday
A German Kita in Leipzig warns parents that it is on strike on March 8, 2023. Photo:

In its latest warning strike, the Verdi union calls on predominantly female kindergarten workers to stay away from work.

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On Wednesday, workers in kindergartens (kitas) across Germany will be walking out on strike as part of the ongoing dispute for higher wages for public sector workers. 

The Verdi union - which represents the public sector employees - called kita workers in five German states to walk out on Wednesday, as both Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and Berlin mark International Women’s Day as a public holiday.

In Bavaria, daycares in Munich, Schweinfurt and Augsburg are particularly affected. Kita workers in Bremen, Saxony, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt have also walked out for the day – with Dresden and Chemnitz, in particular, seeing many employees taking part in the strike.

The strike marks International Women’s Day, as the Verdi union urged women working in German daycare centres to draw attention to their demands for higher wages by striking.

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The Verdi union is planning rallies across Germany on Wednesday, as it demands a 10.5 percent increase – or a minimum raise of €500 a month for members - as they deal with the rising cost of living.

After failing to reach an agreement in previous negotiation rounds, Verdi has staged warning strikes around Germany that have seen everything from walkouts of airport workers to public transport strikes to suspended trash collection – with kita workers being the latest to participate.

This warning strike ends after Wednesday, but Verdi warns to expect more strikes if its demands aren’t met.

The next round of negotiations begins at the end of March.

READ ALSO: More strikes planned as German union rejects public sector pay deal

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