Regional government employees strike and demonstrate in Hannover

A 12,000-strong demonstration marked the latest stage in the dispute over working time in the public sector. The protesters included mainly workers from university and regional hospitals. Frank Bsirske, ver.di general secretary, told the rally that progress was likely with employers in the Saarland region. He added, however, that the union was prepared to continue strike action beyond Easter if necessary. Bsirske said that the union was ready to return to negotiations with the regional employers' organisation at any time but said that at the moment there appeared to be little prospect of this

Over 1,500 church workers joined a demonstration in Magdeburg on 4 November organized by services union ver.di over the right to strike. Church organisations are major employers in the health and social services sector but are opposed to granting normal employment rights to their workers. The synod (parliament) of the evangelical church met that day and reaffirmed its rule banning employees from taking strike action. Ver.di regretted the decision and said that it would only servce to sharpen the conflict between the union and church employers. [Read more at > ver.di (DE)->http://www.verdi.de

On 11 December hundreds of employees of the Zürich cantonal (regional) government mobilised in a demonstration over pay. Their union, vpod/ssp, said that a survey of members had revealed widespread dissatisfaction over pay and the loss of purchasing power over recent years. A key negotating demand from the unions as a first step in restoring real pay levels is a 2% increase for all workers earning up to CH FR 100000 a year, with a 1% increase for those earning above that level.