1. Overview of the dispute
In the ongoing collective bargaining dispute over the TV-N Berlin 2026 framework agreement at the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), BVG leadership has rejected the demands put forward by the trade union Verdi as not financially feasible. After the second round of talks on 13 January 2026, BVG presented a detailed cost calculation and insisted the package of 17 demands cannot be absorbed within the company’s budget or the scope of a framework (mantel) bargaining round.
Key demands from Verdi
- Increase annual vacation from 30 to 33 days
- Minimum rest time of 11 hours between shifts
- Maximum shift length of 12 hours
- Reduction of weekly working time from 37.5 to 35 hours with full wage compensation starting January 2027
BVG’s immediate response
BVG board member Jenny Zeller-Grothe characterized the demands as beyond what the company can finance: “The union’s demands at this scale are not affordable and exceed both the scope of a framework round and any financial possibilities of the company.” She urged Verdi to prioritise proposals to create a realistic negotiation corridor and said the BVG wants to negotiate constructively on a realistic basis.
2. Financial and staffing impact
The BVG’s calculation presented after the January talks quantified the expected impact: the 17 measures would cause about €150 million in additional annual personnel costs and raise staffing needs by roughly 1,330 full positions. These figures are central to BVG’s claim that the proposal is unaffordable within the company’s current budgets and stabilisation plan.
Context: recent wage round and stabilisation course
BVG points to its ongoing stabilisation course since 2024 and the recent wage agreement for 2025, which already increased costs significantly. Verdi, however, recalls the 2025 arbitration that envisioned greater flexibility in working hours for the next round, a point the union says has now become a maximal demand rather than a negotiated compromise.
3. Positions, reactions and arguments
The dispute highlights two contrasting approaches: BVG emphasises budgetary limits, responsible use of public funds and prefers offering choice-based models rather than broad, one-size-fits-all changes. Verdi argues that money alone will attract staff but improved working conditions are necessary to retain them.
BVG leadership stance
BVG leadership presented concrete numbers to justify its position and urged targeted, prioritised negotiations. The company suggested using flexible choice models instead of blanket measures to manage personnel costs and staffing effectively.
Verdi’s stance and workforce mood
Verdi negotiator Serat Canyurt described the workforce mood as emotional: although the 2025 wage round secured a 20% increase (adding about €140 million in costs), many employees still face difficult working conditions. Canyurt stressed the point: “You recruit people with better pay, but you retain them with better working conditions.” The union has signalled willingness to escalate if its demands are not taken seriously.
4. Next steps and potential disruptions
Verdi has announced nationwide warning strikes for Monday, which is likely to cause service disruptions in Berlin and other cities. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for 18 February 2026. The talks will take place against operational challenges such as adverse weather—ice and freezing rain—which already strain daily transport services.
What to watch
- Whether Verdi narrows or prioritises its 17 demands, or holds to the full package.
- How BVG refines its cost model and whether compromise proposals (eg. choice models) emerge.
- The scale and timing of any strike action and the resulting service interruptions.
- How political and financial stakeholders respond to pressure around public funding and stabilisation commitments.
