The Verdi federal chairman Frank Werneke defended the employees at the university clinics against the criticism that they were putting the health of patients at risk with warning strikes in the middle of the corona pandemic.
“The well-being of the patients is always our top priority,” said Werneke on Thursday at the main rally in front of the Düsseldorf state parliament.
Düsseldorf - According to Verdi, around 4,000 demonstrators from the public sector had come to the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia.
"If everyone who wanted to take part in the warning strikes had taken to the streets in the past few weeks, the clinics would have been empty," emphasized the Verdi boss.
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Wage dispute: Verdi announces warning strikes at university hospitals
After unsuccessful collective bargaining rounds in the public sector, employees at five university clinics in North Rhine-Westphalia want to stop working.
The fact that the unions are calling for warning strikes despite rising corona infections is also criticized.
Wage dispute: Verdi announces warning strikes at university hospitals
Verdi announces further full-day strikes at university hospitals
In the wage dispute of the public service of the federal states, the Verdi union has announced further all-day warning strikes at university hospitals for the coming week in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Union members at all six clinics in Aachen, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Essen, Cologne and Münster as well as in the penitentiary hospital in Fröndenberg are called to participate.
Verdi announces further full-day strikes at university hospitals
Hundreds of employees in warning strikes at NRW university hospitals
Several hundred employees at three university clinics in North Rhine-Westphalia demonstrated on Tuesday for better pay.
With warning strikes, they emphasize their demands in the collective bargaining dispute in the public service.
They expect an offer from the countries.
Hundreds of employees in warning strikes at NRW university hospitals
Do not allow employers, who have not yet made an offer in two failed collective bargaining rounds, to use the pandemic as an argument. "We will not accept a Corona emergency closure. We are not in the mood for the arithmetic skills of the finance ministers. We won't allow ourselves to be blackmailed, ”said Werneke. The fact that the collective bargaining association of German states (TdL) has still not made an offer is "an expression of a lack of respect on the part of employers for employees".
Before the third round of negotiations this coming weekend in Potsdam, the trade unions wanted to increase the pressure on employers with the major event.
Among other things, Verdi calls for an income increase of five percent for all public service employees, but at least 150 euros for a term of one year.
The wages and salaries in the health care system are to be increased by 300 euros per month, the training allowances by 100 euros.
dpa