European Trade Union Committee for Education

On 14 February 2017, 8,000 education personnel from all education levels gathered in the streets of Berlin together with other public services employees to demand, inter alia, a general increase in salaries of 6% and the establishment of a sixth pay grade for the salary groups 9 to 15. Rallies in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Bremen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Hamburg were reported too.

“The Federal States should also be interested in substantial improvement of both teachers’ salaries and working conditions. The majority of the Federal States cannot guarantee the replacement required of retiring teachers with trained teachers”, stressed Marlis Tepe, the GEW President.

The negotiations for an increase in salaries in the German public sector have been interrupted on Tuesday two weeks ago. The employers have not made an offer in the second round and the positions of the public services trade unions and the employers still diverge.

The last round of negotiations is scheduled to take place on 16-17 February 2017 in Potsdam.

To learn more, please click here (in German only)

ETUCE continues to monitor closely the situation.