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Rubber boots in a day-care center (symbolic image): 83 percent of the employees are women
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa
Warning strikes have started in day care centers in several federal states.
In Bavaria, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Bremen, among others, many educators did not show up for work, and rallies are planned in several cities during the day.
Some emergency care is set up.
Because around 83 percent of the employees in the social professions are women, the service union Ver.di had called for warning strikes and protest rallies nationwide on International Women's Day.
It is also about equality for women in working life.
Other social services, such as help for the disabled, are also said to be on strike.
More appreciation after two years of pandemic
With the warning strikes, Ver.di wants to increase the pressure on municipal employers in the current collective bargaining round for social services.
The collective bargaining was actually planned for spring 2020, but was put on hold after the start of the corona pandemic.
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The unions argue that the educators should be given more appreciation, especially after two years of the pandemic.
This requires better working conditions and measures to counter the shortage of skilled workers.
Ver.di is not demanding a percentage wage increase for the approximately 330,000 employees affected, but rather higher classifications of social professions in the salary brackets.
Municipal employers argue that educators already earn better than comparable professions.
Ver.di accuses the employers' association VKA of not being accommodating in the talks.
Two rounds of talks are currently planned.
According to the current status, the probably decisive one should take place on May 16th and 17th in Potsdam.
jlk/dpa