ORPEA/Celenus – workers and Verdi reach collective agreement after long strike and broad solidarity

Solidarity ORPEA photos mosaic

(18 February 2019) Verdi reached a collective agreement with Celenus, the subsidiary of French private elderly care company Orpea in Germany. This followed a long strike of 202 days. It included several demonstrations and European solidarity actions.

With this agreement comes an end to a long conflict in the care home of Celenus in Bad Langensalza,  Thüringen.  Pay increases of between 1,5 and 2,25 procent have been agreed. Holiday pay is increased, an monthly allowance for childcare and a one off payment have been included.

The unionists that had been suspended will return to work and measures taken in connection with the strike will be removed. The two unionists that had been dismissed and whose dismissal the German labour Court called illegal can return.

EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan commented: “The workers have shown tenacity in demanding respect for their work and for their union colleagues. European unionists across Orpea have supported their colleagues to secure a collective agreement and recognition of the union.  I take my hat off for all, and especially the unionists and workers in Bad Langensalza.”  

For the Ver.di Press release

For the European solidarity action

For previous information on the actions

For the Russian translation

Germany