Collective bargaining agreement public service:

After tough collective bargaining, the federal government, local authorities and unions have reached an agreement: around 2.5 million employees in the public sector (TVöD) will benefit from the wage settlement. Unlimited strikes are off the table.

As all parties involved announced late Saturday evening in Potsdam, the key points of the agreement are as follows:

A tax- and social security-free inflation compensation of 3,000 euros in several stages. 1,240 euros of it are to flow already in this June, further 220 euros then in each case in the months from July to February 2024.
From March 1, 2024: Increase in table pay by 200 euros (base amount) and then by 5.5 percent. If no increase of 340 euros is achieved in the process, the increase amount in question is to be set at this sum.
Training and internship salaries will be increased by 150 euros at the same time.
The term of the agreement is to be 24 months.

The collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD) affects a total of more than 2.5 million employees. These include people who work as educators, bus drivers, employees of swimming pools, firefighters, nurses and geriatric nurses, administrative employees, sewage treatment plant employees, foresters or doctors.

Ver.di on collective bargaining: “We went to the pain threshold

In this solution, the collective bargaining parties were largely guided by the compromise proposal from the arbitration process that ended a week ago. “We have accommodated the unions as far as we can still justify in a difficult budgetary situation,” announced Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) following the round of negotiations. According to Ver.di head Frank Werneke, the negotiations were not easy. “With our decision to enter into this compromise, we went to the pain threshold,” he said. Werneke, however, expressed his conviction that he would be able to win over the members for the agreement.

Lower Saxony’s ver.di spokesman Morchner criticizes long duration

On the positive side, the agreement would mean a pay-scale increase of up to 16.9 percent starting in March 2024 – the vast majority of employees would thus receive a raise of more than 11 percent, Lower Saxony’s ver.di spokesman Tobias Morchner told NDR Lower Saxony. However, he added, the result also has weaknesses. These include the long term and the relatively late increase that will affect the pay scale. Now, at the beginning of May, ver.di members would have to vote on whether to accept the collective bargaining result. The Federal Collective Bargaining Commission for the public sector will then decide on May 15.

Collective bargaining: Local authorities expect additional costs of 17 billion euros

The agreement poses a particular challenge for the many cash-strapped municipalities. The President of the Association of Municipal Employers’ Associations, Karin Welge, had put the additional costs for cities and municipalities based on the arbitration proposal before the negotiations at 17 billion euros.

Indefinite strike off the table after wage agreement

A strike ballot among the unions and possible indefinite strikes are off the table with the agreement. The bargaining parties had been negotiating for months. Time and again, employee representatives had paralyzed administrations, municipal cleaning services and swimming pools with nationwide warning strikes. At the end of March, ver.di, together with the rail and transport union (EVG), brought both rail and air traffic to a standstill across Germany in a large-scale warning strike.

Source: NDR – 23.04.2023 –NDR

What is the public sector in Germany?

The public sector is the part of the economy that is owned and operated by the government, including organizations such as public schools, hospitals, police departments, and government agencies. These jobs are typically funded by tax dollars, and they serve a variety of public needs and interests.

The amount that you can earn in a public sector job will depend on several factors, such as your level of education, experience, job category, and the collective bargaining agreement that covers your position. In Germany, the pay scale for public sector jobs is typically based on the TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst), which is a collective bargaining agreement that covers many public sector employees.

As mentioned earlier, the TVöD has several pay groups, and each pay group has several pay levels that are based on the employee’s experience and qualifications. The exact amount that you can earn in a public sector job will depend on which pay group and pay level you fall under, as well as other factors such as your job category and location.

If you are interested in finding out more about the pay scales for public sector jobs in Germany, I would recommend consulting the official website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, which provides detailed information on the TVöD pay scales.

How and why they do a strike?

In general, collective bargaining agreements such as the TVöD in Germany are renegotiated periodically, and changes to the pay scales and other working conditions are agreed upon between the unions and employers.

If you are an employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement, your union representative or human resources department should be able to provide you with the latest information on any changes to your pay and working conditions resulting from the new tariff arrangement. It is also worth noting that the specifics of the pay scales and other benefits can vary depending on the job category, level of experience, and location, among other factors.

How mauch i can earn?

The amount that workers in the public sector (TVöD) get depends on their specific job and level of experience. The TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) is the collective bargaining agreement for German public sector employees, and it covers a wide range of job categories.

Within the TVöD, there are different pay groups that are determined by the level of responsibility and complexity of the job. Each pay group has several pay levels that are based on the employee’s experience and qualifications.

As an example, a civil servant in pay group E13, level 1 can earn a monthly salary of around 4,687 euros gross (as of January 2021). However, it’s important to note that this is just an example and the actual amount will depend on the specific job and level within the TVöD.

The TVÖD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) is the collective bargaining agreement that covers many public sector employees in Germany. The TVÖD has several pay groups that are based on the level of responsibility and complexity of the job.

Here is an overview of the pay groups in the TVÖD:

• Pay group 1: For jobs that require little to no formal training or education, such as cleaning staff or kitchen helpers.
• Pay group 2: For jobs that require basic training, such as administrative assistants or receptionists.
• Pay group 3: For jobs that require vocational training or a completed apprenticeship, such as skilled trades or technical positions.
• Pay group 4: For jobs that require a higher level of vocational training or a degree, such as social workers or nurses.
• Pay group 5: For jobs that require a completed degree or a comparable level of education, such as engineers or teachers.
• Pay group 6: For jobs that require a master’s degree or an equivalent level of education, such as psychologists or attorneys.
• Pay group 7: For jobs that require a doctorate degree or an equivalent level of education, such as university professors or medical doctors.
• Pay group 8: For management positions that require extensive knowledge, skills, and experience, such as department heads or directors.
• Pay group 9: For higher-level management positions, such as CEOs or executive directors.

What i earn in which paygroup in TvÖD?

It’s important to note that within each pay group, there are several pay levels that are based on the employee’s experience and qualifications. The exact pay scale for a particular job will depend on the specific pay group and level, as well as other factors such as location and collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the unions and employers.

The gross monthly wages (as of March 2022) for each pay group in the TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) in Germany. Please note that these wages are subject to change based on collective bargaining agreements and other factors. Additionally, the wages can vary depending on the region and other job-specific factors.

Here is an overview of the gross monthly wages (in Euros) for each pay group in the TVöD:

• Pay group 1: 1,622 – 1,807
• Pay group 2: 1,823 – 2,028
• Pay group 3: 2,161 – 2,541
• Pay group 4: 2,588 – 3,305
• Pay group 5: 2,974 – 4,664
• Pay group 6: 3,461 – 5,300
• Pay group 7: 4,937 – 7,191
• Pay group 8: 4,857 – 8,215
• Pay group 9: 6,401 – 10,751

Please note that these are gross monthly wages, and taxes and other deductions will be taken out of these amounts. Additionally, these wages are based on the collective bargaining agreement for the public sector and may not be representative of wages in other industries or sectors.

And which education i need in which paygroup?

The education and training required for each pay group in the TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) can vary depending on the specific job and region. However, as a general guideline, here are the educational qualifications typically required for each pay group:

• Pay group 1: Little to no formal education or training required.
• Pay group 2: Basic vocational training, such as a vocational school certificate or comparable education.
• Pay group 3: Completed vocational training or apprenticeship in a specific trade or technical field.
• Pay group 4: Completed vocational training or apprenticeship in a technical or medical field, or a bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Pay group 5: Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or completed vocational training plus relevant work experience.
• Pay group 6: Master’s degree in a related field or comparable education and experience.
• Pay group 7: Doctorate degree in a related field or comparable education and experience.
• Pay group 8: Extensive education, training, and work experience in a related field.
• Pay group 9: Extensive education, training, and work experience in a related field, typically at the highest level of management.

It’s important to note that these are general guidelines, and the specific educational qualifications required for each job can vary based on factors such as the region, job category, and collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, some positions may require additional certifications or licenses, depending on the specific job duties and requirements.