In the clinic strike, this can be the week of the decision

by time news

Berlin An appointment with symbolic power: Franziska Giffey (SPD) comes to the Zionskirche in Mitte to talk to employees at the Charité and Vivantes state clinics. They have been on strike for better working conditions since September 9th. The designated governing mayor took the time before her talks with the Greens, the Left, CDU and FDP about possible alliances. It nourished the hope of an early agreement between employees and employers in the collective bargaining dispute. A hope that Anja Voigt summed up before the appointment as follows: “Politicians are required to take their promises from the last few weeks and months into the coalition negotiations.”

Berlin clinic strike: employees remind politics of promises

Anja Voigt is an intensive care nurse at the Neukölln Clinic and is on strike, as are currently more than 1000 employees who are fighting for a collective agreement to relieve the burden at Charité and Vivantes as well as a collective agreement for the public service (TVöD). “It will cost something,” says Voigt, “because politics has to dig into its pockets.” Among others, the SPD parliamentary group leader Raed Saleh has agreed. “We want to remember it,” says Voigt. This week should be the week of the decision – the strikers and their union Verdi hope so.

Negotiations will continue on this Wednesday at the Charité. That is where they have made the greatest progress and have agreed to balance the workload. For five understaffed shifts, there is one point that can be converted into eight hours of free time. The trainees are included in this regulation. Both sides could not agree on the minimum occupation of the stations. Negotiator Melanie Guba from Verdi believes that a deal this week is realistic.

Her union colleague Tim Graumann is similarly optimistic for Vivantes, although the road to an agreement here is much further. The latest offer from the management is unacceptable. For example, with time off in lieu: Vivantes offers one point for twelve shifts when understaffed instead of five as at the Charité. There are even 48 shifts for the trainees. “The offer remains non-binding for most of the topics,” says Graumann.

Negotiations at the subsidiaries have come to a standstill. Verdi representative Ivo Garbe says that Vivantes has now wanted to exclude the medical care centers after the laboratories. 45 million euros would be offered for salary increases, stretched over five years. “Most of the employees would have had no improvement in the coming years.” Verdi calculates at 35 million for a TVöD – per year. “If we have a negotiation date quickly,” says Garbe, “we too can come to a conclusion soon.” If not, the strike will continue. “If it has to be, longer.”

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