German Workers Hold Mass Strikes Against Untenable Living and Working Conditions
Public sector strike
March 22, 2023
Throughout March, German workers have been in action to demand living and working conditions they require to provide public services and carry out production in their sectors. Inflation in Germany is said to be at 10.4 per cent, however, at the last negotiations with public sector employees on February 23, the government offered only a five per cent wage increase.
In the public sector, which counts 2.5 million civil servants and municipal employees, the union Verdi is demanding a 10.5 per cent increase as well as a minimum monthly increase of 500 for the lowest salaries. It is also demanding a pay increase of 200 per month for trainees, students and interns and that apprentices be offered permanent employment after successfully completing their training.
The EVG union, which is negotiating for around 180,000 employees at the national railway Deutsche Bahn, is demanding 12 per cent more pay, or at least 650 more a month. For junior staff, it is asking for at least 325 more per month for a period of twelve months.
Industrial union IG Metall, is demanding an eight per cent pay increase, or at least 200 more per month for the workers it represents.
On March 3, workers providing local public transportation went on strike, in coordination the youth climate activists of Fridays for Future.
On March 8, International Women's Day, childcare workers in nurseries, kindergartens and social services stopped work across the country. Municipal workers who provide garbage collection, forestry workers, security guards in airports and cultural workers all went on strike in March.
Child care workers' strike
March 8, 2023.
On March 9, industrial workers organized in the IGBCE trade union held a day of action, calling for improvements to workplace safety and a lower industrial electricity rate.
Day of
action for
workplace safety and reductions in rate for electricity for industry,
March 9, 2023.
Public sector
workers' strike March 9, 2023
The 160,000 postal workers who had voted 86 per cent in favour of taking indefinite strike action in early March, in support of a 15 per cent wage increase to counter inflation, settled a new two-year contract with Deutsche Post on March 11, achieving wage increases from 11 to 20 per cent. Postal workers had held several walkouts in January and February to press their demands.
On March 27, tens of thousands of workers in the transportation sector held a one-day "warning strike," shutting down travel by rail and air. Nearly 400,000 air travellers across Europe had their flights cancelled. Local transportation, including subways, ferries and buses also did not run. The last time joint strike actions were held across local, national and air transportation sectors was 30 years ago.
Railway workers' strike.
Airport workers' strike.
The government says the workers' demands are "unreasonable." However, the German workers are well aware of their contributions to the society and economy and are sticking to their demands. They are also encouraged by the stands being taken by their counterparts in France, the UK and Greece.
A report from Deutsche Welle, like many others, glibly attributes the "soaring fuel, energy and food prices" German workers are facing "partly [to] Russia's invasion of Ukraine," as if such a situation was unavoidable. Instead, the ruling circles of Germany continue to throw in their lot with the U.S./NATO proxy war in Ukraine, to the detriment of all the peoples of Europe. Speaking in the Bundestag on March 2, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was in talks with the armaments industry to increase production of military equipment for both the German and other European armies. Later in the month, Eva Högl, commissioner for Germany's armed forces, said the build-up of the military was "too sluggish" and that the special 100 billion euro fund to address its deficiencies should be increased to 300 billion euros.
Airport security workers' strike
March 10, 2023.
Forestry workers' strike,
March 16, 2023.
(Photos: Ver.di, IGBCE, EVG)
This article was published in
Number 19 - April 7, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10192.HTM
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