strike

The first round of pay negotiations ended with no acceptable offer. In fact the employers reckon that because the last pay deal was relatively good we could do without a pay rise. Although inflation is not as high as it was a few years ago we still have to do some catching up. The cost of living is particularly noticeable to people at the bottom of the pay scale. Extra pay for shift work has not been adjust for years. We are also asking for extra days off to make up for the increased stress at work.

It is good to be part of a big union. All the Berlin hospitals were on strike together with the bin people, the water people and various other public sector workers. I particularly liked the speech by the union representative for migrant workers. So much needs to change.

A fairly tame bonus heron is in the extra.

Some more pictures from the protest and snowy Berlin on flickr.