Deal averts German public sector strikes
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.German unions and government negotiators reached a pay deal yesterday for the country's three million public service workers, heading off a strike that could have damaged the weak economy.
Under the deal, hammered out in talks that included a 31-hour negotiating session, both sides agreed on a gradual pay rise of 4.4 per cent over a 27-month period, Otto Schily, the Interior Minister, said.
"I think this is an acceptable compromise for the employers, [but] a compromise that as far as the financial capacity of the public purse is concerned goes to the limit of what is acceptable," Mr Schily said.
Federal, state and local authorities had a combined budget deficit of €76bn(£50bn) in the first nine months of last year, official statistics showed last month.
Representatives from municipal governments initially balked at the deal, but eventually gave their blessing. Heading into the last round of negotiations, Verdi, the giant public-sector workers' union, saidpublic employees from nurses to tax collectors might begin the first mass walk-outs in more than a decade in the next few weeks if talks broke down.
Unions also wanted wages in the former communist east brought up to the level of those in the west by 2007. They won an agreement that will see eastern German employees' pay progressively raised to parity by 2009.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments