Upcoming Strike Planned as Charité Facility Management Dispute Continues

Workers at the Charité Facility Management (CFM) have concluded their recent two-day strike, which was held to demand better wages. However, the labor union Verdi has announced that another strike action is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, coinciding with the start of the morning shift, and it will continue until the end of the night shift on Friday.

This latest strike comes just two weeks after the initial protests by CFM employees, and it aims to increase pressure ahead of the upcoming negotiations set for April 25. Verdi's lead negotiator has emphasized that workers expect a reasonable and negotiable offer, especially since no proposal has been presented regarding the ongoing wage dispute that has been developing for some time.

Approximately 600 employees participated in the recent strike each day, according to union reports. Despite a contingency plan aimed at maintaining essential services, there have been significant disruptions reported, particularly affecting meal services, cleaning of surgical instruments, and patient transport.

The CFM employs around 3,500 individuals across various sectors, including medical technology, patient transport, maintenance, cleaning, and security. Verdi is advocating for improved pay for approximately 3,200 of these workers in line with the public sector wage agreements applicable at Charité.

In a recent voting process, an overwhelming 99.3% of Verdi members at CFM expressed their support for an indefinite strike, indicating strong collective resolve among the workforce. This follows earlier strike actions conducted from April 2 to April 4.

While CFM management has stated their intention to minimize the impact of the strike by prioritizing and reorganizing operational processes, they previously sought a legal injunction to prevent the strike from proceeding. Although the court allowed the strike to move forward, it mandated that a comprehensive range of emergency services be maintained.

Verdi has criticized the level of emergency staffing as being excessive compared to what would be necessary for patient care, while CFM management contended that the emergency staffing arrangements deviated significantly from standard operation levels.