Berlin, Nov. 28, (dpa/GNA) – Almost 20,000 employees of educational institutions across Germany walked off the job on Tuesday in a wage dispute in the public sector, the Education and Science Union (GEW) said at midday.
According to union, around 7,000 employees from schools, daycare centres and universities as well as social workers in youth, health and social services offices took part in the strike in the eastern city of Leipzig alone.
In Berlin, there were 6,000 strikers, while thousands went on strike in other cities. The strike was supported by protest actions and rallies in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig and Karlsruhe.
“If employers don’t wake up now and pay their colleagues in the public sector decently and fairly, the shortage of skilled labour will continue to worsen,” GEW board member Doreen Siebernik said in Leipzig.
The work of employees in educational institutions is indispensable, said GEW chairwoman Maike Finnern. “At the same time, they are suffering from the enormous shortage of skilled labour. Inflation has also left its mark on them.”
According to a report by the Bertelsmann Foundation, the shortage of skilled labour is particularly noticeable in daycare centres, with a nationwide shortage of around 430,000 daycare spots.
The unions are demanding a 10.5% increase in pay, but at least €500 ($543) per month over a 12-month period.
Public sector workers already took to the streets in Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen last week. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for December 7 and 8 in Potsdam, just outside Berlin.
GNA