Public service to face warning strikes, according to Verdi's announcement
Tuesday Marks the Beginning of Initial Warning Strikes for Public Sector Employees
Potsdam — Beginning tomorrow, initial warning strikes will commence in connection with wage negotiations for public sector workers. The trade union Verdi, led by Frank Werneke, stated on Sunday that the delay in negotiations for two rounds, without any semblance of respect or recognition for employees, has necessitated warning strikes. According to Werneke, the employers failed to present an offer in the latest round of negotiations.
The negotiating parties remain at odds on central issues. Preliminary warning strikes with a regional focus are planned to commence on Tuesday. In parallel, the German Federation of Public Service Unions (DBB) has not ruled out warning strikes, with DBB federal chairman Ulrich Silberbach stating that increased pressure on the employers may be necessary to avoid mediation.
Among their demands, the unions are seeking a 4.8 percent wage increase and at least 150 euros more per month for public sector employees. The third round of negotiations will take place on October 22 and 23 in Potsdam.
It is worth noting that, while no specific details of the ongoing public sector wage negotiations have been disclosed in the provided sources, workers in other sectors in Germany have received wage increases—a 3 percent increase in April 2025 and another 2.8 percent in May 2026.
At a broader level, the German government is focusing on increasing the minimum wage to €15 per hour by 2026, based on proposals from an independent commission, as well as strengthening collective agreements and labor unions through new legislation. However, these developments do not seem to have a significant impact on the current public sector wage negotiations.
In the ever-evolving landscape of the German labor sector, other industries are suspending payments to their funds in solidarity with public sector employees, demonstrating a show of unity. Moreover, finance and aerospace sectors are closely monitoring the proceedings, as any developments in public sector wage negotiations could potentially impact their workforces whenever renegotiations arise.
