Public sector strikes hit several German states

BERLIN (AA) – A strike by public sector workers disrupted life in several German states on Thursday, with more protests expected in other regions over the coming days.

People protested in Berlin, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia as labor unions Verdi and Komba look to ramp up pressure amid ongoing negotiations for better pay and working conditions.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the strike mainly affected commuters in several cities, including the state capital Dusseldorf, where public transport was partially at a standstill and several hundred people staged a protest in front of the city hall.

According to Verdi, kindergartens, clinics, and waste disposal companies were also impacted in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In Berlin, sanitation work was particularly disrupted, while the Komba union said a large number of daycare centers remained closed in Hesse, especially in the city of Fulda.

Strikes have also been called in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg on Friday, where civil servants and public utility workers are expected to stage walkouts.

The Verdi labor union has also called on hospital workers to join the strikes in Berlin, as well as employees of water companies and universities.

Gravediggers and other employees of the horticulture and cemeteries department will go on strike in Stuttgart, capital of Baden-Wurttemberg, on Monday, the union said.

In the ongoing negotiations, Verdi and the German Civil Service Federation (dbb) are demanding a 10.5% pay hike, or at least €500 ($538) more, for approximately 2.5 million public sector employees.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Feb. 22 and 23 in the city of Potsdam.​​​​​​​