NEWS FROM BERLIN
GEW trade union announces massive resistance in Berlin
The Education and Science Union (GEW) and advice centres have announced massive resistance to the planned city cuts in the social and education sectors in Berlin. “We will continue to press ahead with the protests, the situation will get worse,” said GEW state head Gökhan Akgün. In December, the House of Representatives passed budget cuts totalling 3 billion euros in practically all areas for 2025, with the votes coming from the CDU and SPD. It has become clear lately that the cuts affect numerous projects in the areas of prevention and education, particularly in schools. Source: tagesspiegel
Berlin wants a “democracy clause” this year – what’s behind it
Instead of the controversial anti-Semitism clause in cultural funding, Berlin wants to formulate a “democracy clause” this year. Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) has prioritised this and commissioned 4 Senate departments to draw it up, according to Culture Senator Joe Chialo (CDU). The antisemitism clause, from December 2023, had to be withdrawn due to legal concerns. There were fears in the cultural scene that it could restrict artistic freedom. Wegner then announced that he was striving for a new, broader-based solution. “We will work together to find a way to make the issue legally secure and apply it to all Berlin administrations,” said the CDU politician at the time. Source: berliner-zeitung
Demonstration against event with right-wing extremist Martin Sellner
Around 100 people demonstrated against an event with the Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Sellner in Berlin-Wilmersdorf last Thursday. According to participants in the protest outside a restaurant near Güntzelstraße underground station, the event with Sellner was supposed to be a reading. He recently visited German cities to read from his book “Remigration”. During the demonstration, an unknown person sprayed irritant gas in the restaurant, police said on Friday. One person was sustained injuries and the perpetrator fled. The state police are investigating this as a case of dangerous bodily harm. Source: rbb
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Ver.di calls for warning strike in clinics, care facilities and rescue services
The trade union ver.di has called for a nationwide warning strike next Thursday in the healthcare sector in the labour dispute with the federal government and local authorities. Even rescue services could be affected. The reason is that the federal and local governments did not present an offer for employees in the second round of negotiations in mid-February. “The employers’ request to agree on little to no wage increase, and worse, with no outlook for 36 months, is a provocation. The employees have the right response to this: a warning strike,” as affirmed by ver.di national board member Sylvia Bühler. Source: rbb
State health insurance records deficit of 6 billion euros
The German healthcare system is under great financial pressure. The health insurance providers blame this primarily on the sharp rise in expenditure. An initial analysis by the AOK (an association representing 11 healthcare providers in Germany) shows that the statutory health insurance scheme recorded a deficit of almost 6 billion euros last year. In addition to the AOK figures, the company health insurance funds (BKK) and the guild health insurance funds (IKK) were also scrutinised. The Federal Ministry of Health usually summarises the health insurance companies’ figures and publishes them in March. Sustainable financing of the healthcare system is likely to be one of the major tasks of the next federal government. Source: pharmazeutische-zeitung
Official complaints against German citizenship delays quadruple in 2024
More than 1,600 Berlin residents filed official “inactivity complaints” (Untätigkeitsklagen) against the German government over citizenship application processing delays in 2024. The number of complaints is up from 402, which were filed in 2023, representing a 313% increase. These figures were given in response to a parliamentary information request filed by Elif Eralp (The Left). The measure is a legal pathway for residents inGermany to challenge authorities’ processing delays. If one has not received a decision 3 months after submitting the papers, it is possible to submit such “Untätigkeitsklage”to the administrative court. Berlin’s immigration authorities affirm they have long been struggling under a worker shortage. Source: iamexpat
Rheinmetall could convert two factories to weapons production
Rheinmetall, the automotive and arms manufacturer from Düsseldorf, intends to manufacture mainly products or components for the “Weapon and Ammunition” division at two German sites that have so far belonged to the civilian division. The sites in question are in Berlin and Neuss. “Final decisions on the organisation have not yet been made, however,” its statement continued. In order to secure capacity utilisation and employment at the two sites in the future, Rheinmetall’s management is planning to transfer the plants to the Weapon and Ammunition division and turn them into“hybrid sites”. Source: handelsblatt
“Germany urgently needs these billions”
Sebastian Dullien, Director of the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research (IMK), has said he considers the idea of setting up two special funds worth billions for the Bundeswehr and infrastructure as “very sensible.” According to a report by the Reuters newsagency, 4 economists from the IMK, as well as from the Ifo Institute and the University of Düsseldorf outlined a plan, envisaging two pots of money, eachwith a volume of 400 billion euros. These funds are to be used to finance future investments in bridges and railways on the one hand and expenditure on military armaments on the other. Dullien comments: “Germany urgently needs these billions.” Source: t-online
