In the collective bargaining dispute in the public sector, the Verdi union is calling for around 2,500 employees in Hamburg to go on an infrastructure warning strike on Monday. According to union information, the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), Autobahn-GmbH and Hamburg Airport are said to be affected by the all-day warning strike. Employees who fall directly or indirectly under the collective agreement of the public sector are called upon to participate. In addition, employees from companies who have not received any negotiable offers in in-house or federal collective bargaining in the current collective bargaining rounds should participate.
In Schleswig-Holstein, according to Verdi Nord, the employees of the water and shipping authority have been called to go on warning strikes, which will affect the locks of the Kiel Canal. According to the information, some of the strikes begin on Monday night and last until Tuesday in some companies. Verdi is demanding 10.5 percent more wages for the 2.5 million federal and municipal employees nationwide. Employers are gradually offering five percent more for a two-year term and a one-off payment of 2,500 euros. The third round of negotiations for the federal and local authorities begins on Monday in Potsdam.
The railway and transport union (EVG) is also calling on the employees of all railway and transport companies in which negotiations are currently taking place to go on warning strikes on Monday. In Hamburg, the S-Bahn is affected in addition to the Deutsche Bahn.
Hamburg Airport expects the announced major warning strike to have far-reaching effects on flight operations. The situation is currently still being assessed, said a spokeswoman on Thursday. However, the airport is asking all passengers who have planned a flight to or from Hamburg on Monday to keep themselves informed about the flight status. A total of around 299 flights (147 departures and 152 arrivals) with over 35,000 passengers are scheduled at Hamburg Airport for Monday.
A press spokeswoman said that for the fourth time in a very short space of time, the Verdi union was calling on a wide variety of employees at Hamburg Airport to go on strike. It is expected to cause massive restrictions for tens of thousands of travelers again. “This strike is once again being deliberately carried out on the backs of the Hamburg passengers – we can well understand that the understanding of all bystanders is sinking.”
The warning strike in the public sector already led to considerable restrictions on Thursday in Hamburg. Daycare centers remained closed, recycling centers did not accept waste and waste collection also stopped. “Around 6,000 people have stopped work. That exceeded our expectations, you have to say that clearly, ”said the deputy Verdi regional manager Ole Borgard. According to the police, around 5,000 people were involved in the union rally in front of the Rathausmarkt and in an elevator to the union building on Besenbinderstrasse.
Around 60,000 people in the Hanseatic city are affected by the public service collective agreement. On Thursday, mainly employees of the city daycare centers, the Hamburg Port Authority HPA, the State Opera, the Thalia Theater, the airport and the city cleaning took to the streets. Many daycare centers therefore remained closed or only offered an emergency service.
The effects on the Elbe were also clearly visible – there were no large ships on Wednesday evening and Thursday because port workers had also gone on strike. The Verdi trade union struck the so-called pilot transfer boats so that the pilots could no longer get to the ships. Ships subject to pilotage could not enter or leave Hamburg.
At Hamburg Airport, on the other hand, operations went largely as usual despite the warning strikes. “The business started as normal. We are currently assuming that this will remain the case,” said an airport spokeswoman on Thursday morning. At the airport, employees had already stopped work on Wednesday evening, including employees in parking space management, IT, boarding card checks and maintenance and repair teams. Since this time the security checkpoints, check-in, baggage and aircraft handling are not affected by the strike, operations were largely maintained. That might look different on Monday.
The high participation in Verdi’s nationwide warning strike in Hamburg shows that many employees are dissatisfied, according to Verdi regional manager Ole Borgard. “You can tell that there is a lot of pressure on the boiler due to the high price increases. We notice that with the many new recordings. Many colleagues have found that it makes sense not to remain alone in these heavy newspapers.” The mood among men and women in the public sector is tense and full of expectations with a view to the third round of negotiations. “They’re tired of being applauded and getting nothing but warm words,” Borgard said.
