Background and recent developments
After an unsuccessful second round of collective bargaining in Potsdam on 15 and 16 January 2026, the unions Verdi and the German Civil Service Federation (dbb) announced they will massively expand warning strikes in the public sector of the federal states starting next week. The move is intended to increase pressure on the employers’ negotiating body, the Tarifgemeinschaft der Länder (TdL), ahead of the next bargaining round scheduled for 11 to 13 February 2026.
Union reaction
Verdi leader Frank Werneke criticised the employers for not presenting a binding offer. He said employers only spoke vaguely of a ‘Schnaps oberhalb der Inflation’ and did not meet union demands. dbb leader Volker Geyer accused the employers of driving negotiations ‘into the wall’ and called for stronger pressure: the unions must expand strike actions massively to force movement before the next round.
Employers and negotiator response
TdL negotiating leader Andreas Dressel (SPD, Hamburg) expressed confidence that a deal could be reached in February, emphasising a shared state-political responsibility and the limits of tight public budgets. Employers argue their proposed package is necessary to keep costs under control.
What unions want and what employers offered
The unions defend a demand for seven percent higher pay (with a minimum of 300 euros per month on a 12-month basis). They say this increase is necessary to compensate for inflation losses since the COVID period, to improve purchasing power, to support the economy, and to make the public sector more competitive in attracting and retaining staff. The GEW and various regional protests back the unions’ stance.
Union demands
The core union demands stress wages and structural improvements to address staff shortages and long-term fairness for employees in public services.
- Wage increase: 7% higher pay (minimum 300 euros per month, 12 months)
- Measures to address staffing and recruitment challenges
- Improvements to working conditions that protect gains against inflation
Employers’ offer and cost concerns
The employers proposed an agreed corridor of pay increases slightly above inflation, delivered in three stages over 29 months until March 2028, amounting to roughly a five percent increase overall. Their offer also included targeted improvements such as higher shift allowances, trainee packages, and minimum hourly pay for students. Employers warned the total cost would be about 12.6 billion euros and noted that the state of Hesse was excluded from that calculation.
Who and what will be affected
The unions warned that the expanded warning strikes will target a wide range of public services to maximise bargaining pressure. They expect disruption across health care, education, administrative services and infrastructure, with a large number of employees and civil servants affected directly.
| Category | Figure / Examples |
|---|---|
| Directly affected employees | About 2.2 million |
| Civil servants with spill-over effects | About 1.3 million |
| Typical services targeted | University hospitals, street clearing services, schools, tax offices, data centres, justice authorities and day-care centres (Kitas) |
Examples of impacted services
- University hospitals and healthcare services
- Schools and educational institutions
- Street clearing and municipal infrastructure services
- Tax offices and public administration
- IT centres and data processing centres
- Justice authorities and legal administration
- Day-care centres (Kitas)
Timeline, next steps and what to expect
Unions plan to escalate warning strikes from the week following the Potsdam talks and to expand actions regionally and across sectors until the next negotiating session on 11 to 13 February 2026. The unions’ intention is to increase pressure to achieve a stronger offer or agreement in February, while employers continue to stress budgetary limits and hope for a conclusion next month.
- Immediate expansion of warning strikes across selected public services starting next week.
- Regional targeting of critical services such as hospitals and schools to increase negotiation leverage.
- Further collective bargaining round on 11–13 February 2026 aimed at reaching a final agreement.
For the public, this likely means periods of disruption in essential services. Individuals and organisations should follow local announcements and contingencies from public authorities. The dispute highlights the tension between wage claims to offset inflation and the fiscal constraints that employers cite.
