Strike Action at Vivantes Rehabilitation Center: Full Participation Anticipated

The Vivantes rehabilitation center in Berlin is set to experience a strike initiated by its medical staff starting Monday and extending through Friday. This action, announced by the Marburger Bund, a union representing physicians, aims to secure a collective tariff agreement for the doctors working in the facility.

Currently, the rehabilitation center employs only eight physicians, but the union expects a remarkable 100 percent participation in the strike, a level of solidarity that is uncommon in most workplaces. The doctors are advocating for a salary structure similar to that of their colleagues in larger Vivantes hospitals, where compensation packages are more competitive.

As of now, the rehabilitation center does not operate under a collective bargaining agreement, meaning doctors work under individual contracts. The Marburger Bund has pointed out that these physicians earn approximately 20 percent less than their counterparts in the main hospitals. For instance, a newly hired assistant doctor in a Vivantes hospital can expect a starting salary of around EUR5,500 gross per month.

It remains uncertain how this strike will impact patient care, as the majority of the rehabilitation center's staff comprises therapists, with physicians primarily responsible for planning and oversight. Earlier this year, the rehabilitation doctors staged a warning strike, temporarily halting all medical activities.

The Vivantes rehabilitation center is part of a larger network comprising the largest municipal hospital group in Germany, which employs around 20,000 staff and operates over 6,000 beds across eight hospitals, nursing homes, an outpatient service, and the rehabilitation center itself. The rehabilitation facility has 220 outpatient treatment spaces and recorded an increase in treatment days in 2024 compared to the previous year. However, the entire Vivantes group faced a substantial financial deficit of EUR146 million last year.

This potential strike could mark a significant milestone if the rehabilitation doctors succeed in establishing a collective agreement, as it would represent the first such contract for outpatient physicians negotiated by the Marburger Bund, which historically has focused on hospital-based agreements.