Large gathering at protest demonstration - Healthcare employees at Uniclinic engaging in a work stoppage
In the heart of Leipzig, the Peterskirche echoed with the voices of around 800 individuals who gathered for a protest rally on Tuesday morning. The rally was part of a city-wide strike organized by the trade union Verdi, calling for improved wages, working conditions, and contract recognition for public service employees.
The strike, which extended to the University of Leipzig, Student Services, the Saxony State Directorate, and the University Clinic, has caused operational disruptions in the Leipzig area. While specific details about closures were not available, Verdi's strikes typically involve key public sector workers, leading to reduced service availability or delays.
Verdi's demands are far-reaching, encompassing alignment with current public sector collective agreements (TVöD), recognition of sector-specific tariffs, improved health protections at work, and better pay adjustments. In a similar dispute at a medical facility in Berlin, Verdi secured gradual wage increases to bring ancillary workers up to the public sector pay scale by 2030, as well as additional special leave days.
However, some critics argue that this deal does not go far enough, and was reached behind closed doors. In the retail and logistics sector, Verdi is demanding recognition of comprehensive collective agreements and better protection of workers’ health, especially during peak periods like Amazon’s Prime Week.
The strikes in Leipzig and other locations underscore the frustration among workers over wages not keeping pace with the cost of living and the intensification of work conditions. The union employs strikes as a means to pressure employers and authorities for immediate improvements in pay and working conditions for public service employees.
It is expected that the University Clinic may experience longer waiting times and treatment cancellations due to the strike on Tuesday. The impact on the University, Student Services, and the Saxony State Directorate is yet to be fully assessed.
The Verdi strike in Leipzig is part of a broader labour action by the union, aiming to secure a 10.5 percent salary increase for public service employees. The union is determined to bring about significant improvements in pay, working conditions, and contract recognition for public service workers across Germany.
The Verdi strike, affecting not only the University of Leipzig but also Student Services, the Saxony State Directorate, and the University Clinic, has extended its reach to the realm of health-and-wellness, as the union's demands now include improved health protections at work for its employees. This broad labour action aligns with Verdi's ongoing push in the retail and logistics sector, where they are advocating for better science-backed solutions to address worker health concerns, particularly during peak periods such as Amazon’s Prime Week.
