Public service – Verdi puts pressure on – politics

Shortly before the third round of collective bargaining in the public sector, the Verdi union insists on a sufficiently high minimum amount of income growth and emphasizes the willingness of the employees to go on strike. “There will be no deal without a sufficiently high minimum amount,” said Verdi boss Frank Werneke on Tuesday in front of strikers at a rally in Cologne. “But if it doesn’t work, spring is coming and we may have to meet again here.” The third round of negotiations for the federal and local authorities begins on Monday in Potsdam. Warning strikes in different federal states have been affecting municipal services in particular for weeks. Despite the massive effects of the warning strikes, Verdi has received a lot of encouragement from the population, said Werneke.