Latest news with #BodoRamelow
Local Germany
08-04-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
Berlin averts unlimited transport strikes as BVG cuts deal with union
It was a long and gruelling fight, but it paid off - at least for the union. On Monday, BVG and services union Verdi announced that they had reached an agreement in a months-long fight over pay and conditions for transport workers in the capital. As a result, some 16,600 BVG employees are set to net an average 15 percent pay rise over the next few years. Drivers, meanwhile, are set to get 20 percent. In concrete terms, this equates to a €430 pay rise per month, with €380 extra from June this year, and an extra €50 per month a year later. The new contract runs from January 1st, 2025, to December 31st, 2026, with the first five months covered by a one-off bonus of €1,500. Christmas bonuses and bonuses for shift work are set to go up, and workers will be able to increase their hours from 37.5 to 39 per week in order to net higher earnings. READ ALSO: Where Berliners are facing travel disruptions this spring Both sides will also be tasked with agreeing the terms for a 35-hour week by 2027 at the latest. The result will see BVG workers soar up the rankings from the worst to the best-paid transport workers in the country. Currently, employees in the capital earn the least of all the German federal states. From 2026, however, they will stand in joint first place with Baden-Württemberg. Advertisement 'A good day' Monday's agreement brings to an end a conflict that had the capital teetering on the edge of weeks of transport chaos. Though the deal must still be put to Verdi members, it looks certain that Berlin will avoid further strikes on its public transport network until 2027. After four rounds of talks and five warning strikes, BVG and Verdi had agreed in late March to enlist the help of two third-party mediators to help them reach a conclusion. SPD politician Matthias Platzeck was chosen to represent the transport company, and Left Party politician Bodo Ramelow was picked to negotiate for the union. BVG workers vote in a Verdi ballot on unlimited strikes held in the capital on March 26th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Ukas The duo, which successfully thrashed out a deal for Deutsche Bahn workers back in 2017, presented their recommendations to the two parties on Monday. READ ALSO: Five things to know about Germany's public sector pay deal The pressure to reach an agreement was high: on April 4th, 95 percent of Verdi members had voted to allow unlimited strikes if the mediation failed. Speaking in a hastily announced press conference on Monday night, Verdi chief negotiator Jeremy Arndt applauded the outcome of negotiations. "We have achieved the maximum for employees," he said. The union had originally demanded at least €750 extra per month for transport workers . Advertisement BVG, meanwhile, came much closer to the union than originally expected, exceeding its previously set pain threshold. At the press conference on Monday, however, chief negotiator Jenny Zeller-Grothe struck a positive note, stating: "Today is a good day." According to Zeller-Grothe, the transport operator will attempt to cover the extra €140 million in costs with as little effect as possible on consumers. With no additional funding yet promised by the Senate, it is unclear how they plan to do so.
Local Germany
27-03-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
What happens next after Berlin's two-day public transport strike?
In the midst of a two-day warning strike that has brought much of Berlin's public transport to a halt, there appears to be a glimmer of hope that weeks of chaos could soon be at an end. On Thursday afternoon, transport operator BVG and services union Verdi announced that they had agreed to enter into a formal mediation, marking a turning point in their ongoing wage dispute. At a press conference held in Berlin, both sides named their chosen mediators: SPD politician and former Brandenburg state premier Matthias Platzeck will represent BVG, while Left Party politician and Bundestag vice president Bodo Ramelow will mediate on behalf of Verdi. The mediation talks will begin on Friday and are expected to conclude by April 10th. During this period, the so-called "peace obligation" clause means no further strikes can take place, giving Berliners a break from the recent wave of disruptions. Nevertheless, Verdi's latest 48-hour transport strike will still continue as planned until 3am on Friday morning. During this time, bus, tram, and U-Bahn services will remain suspended across the city. READ ALSO: How Berlin's two-day BVG strike will impact passengers How does mediation work? Mediation, or Schlichtung in German, is a formal negotiation process led by independent mediators. It is usually seen as a last resort after collective bargaining between unions and employers has failed. Under German trade law, each side is allowed to appoint a mediator and four delegates to represent their interests. The goal is to reach a compromise that can be recommended to both sides for final approval - though no side is obliged to accept it. Advertisement In parallel with the mediation decision, Verdi has launched a ballot among union members to approve indefinite strikes. This will run until April 4th and requires two thirds of members to reject BVG's latest offer for the strikes to go forward. However, due to the agreed-upon mediation period, no further industrial action can be called until at least April 10th, regardless of the ballot's outcome. Buses sit in a bus depot in Siegfriedstraße, Berlin, at the start of a two-day BVG warning strike. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Ukas What are the two sides fighting about? Since the start of the year, Verdi and BVG have been locked in tough negotiations over the future pay and conditions for some 16,500 transport workers in Berlin. Citing the spike in the cost of the living, the union is demanding a monthly increase of €750, bonuses for driving and other unsociable shifts, and a 13th-month salary as a Christmas bonus. BVG has pushed back, citing budgetary constraints, but recently improved its offer to a 17.2 percent wage increase for drivers. However, Verdi has described this offer as "far removed" from its demands. READ ALSO: Where rail passengers can expect disruptions in Berlin and Brandenburg in 2025 With the union taking an uncompromising stance, it remains unclear whether the independent mediators will be able to thrash out an agreement that can satisfy both parties. Advertisement However, BVG has welcomed the development, describing the arbitration as "good news for our employees and all Berliners." Speaking at the press conference on Thursday, Verdi negotiator Jeremy Arndt also struck an optimistic tone about the forthcoming talks. "It is good that we are now trying to develop a common perspective on what the work of BVG employees should be worth today," he told assembled reporters.
