Berlin braces for BVG strikes
Wednesday, 15 January
Verdi and the BVG are locked in a bitter wage dispute, with the union demanding an additional €750 per month and a ’13th month’ bonus check. The union is basing its demands primarily on a “de facto loss of real wages” since the last round of negotiations at the end of 2021, which was before the start of the Ukraine war and the resulting inflation.
The BVG, already grappling with aging infrastructure and operational woes, deems the demands “unfinanceable”, according to BVG HR director Jenny Zeller-Grothe. Negotiations kicked off this morning, with Verdi warning of imminent action if employers don’t budge. “From January 15, strikes are to be expected,” declared negotiator Jeremy Arndt.
Stay tuned for updates as this standoff threatens to grind Berlin’s public transport to a halt.
