The sound of whistles could be heard even before the verdi protest train turned onto the home straight. About 300 public sector workers joined the demonstration, which began with rallies in front of the social foundation and the municipal utilities and then proceeded as a protest march from margarethendamm to the promenade. Doris stadelmeyer, district manager of the union for upper franconia-west, was very pleased with the response: "people are angry."
Verdi demands six percent more pay, or at least 200 euros, for public sector employees. For the trainees it should be at least 100 euros more. In the first two rounds of negotiations, however, this was firmly rejected by the employer representatives. Before the next round it came therefore now to the strike. "The public service deserves to be valued", says stadelmeyer. Unrelated fixed-term employment contracts are also to be abolished.
Four cities affected
"Tax revenues are bubbling up. Some of this should end up with the public sector employees. Good people need good money if they are to deliver quality", said stadelmeyer to the demonstrators. Under the motto "we are worth it" bamberger employees of the city's waste disposal and construction department and the garden and cemetery department, the social foundation and the city's public utilities department had come together. Employees of the city and district office of forchheim, the city of lichtenfels and the bad staffelstein building yard also took part in the tour.
In bamberg, the strike brought with it some restrictions. The bambados remained closed all day as a precautionary measure. "During the strike, we cannot fully guarantee the safety of bathers", bader boss peter scheuenstuhl had already announced shortly after the strike became known. Otherwise, everything went smoothly at the stadtwerke. The buses ran regularly, the feared delays due to the demonstration did not occur.
In the medical area, too, measures had to be taken in response to the strike. "The non-essential operations were postponed", says brigitte dippold, press officer for the social foundation. "But patient care was guaranteed." The operating departments at the hospital and at heinrichsdamm were on duty for urgent interventions and prepared for emergencies.
In the area of responsibility of the city suffered the mull disposal. Two old paper tours – in the mountain area and in wildensorg – had to be cancelled. In the "willow" area and "clinic at the bruderwald" the remaining mull barrels remained standing. The paper tours will be made up next friday, according to a notice from the city. The restmuller tour follows on saturday. The affected residents are asked to provide the garbage cans as usual.