Germany
Postal and public sector workers have taken strike action in Germany over pay. On 6 February, around 8,000 Deutsche Post workers walked out across the country with major strike rallies held in ten cities. The following day, thousands again downed tools and protested. This action was followed on 9 February by public sector strikes in the states of Berlin, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, and in Baden-Württemberg on 10 February. Like in Britain, these workers are striking for better pay, amid the rising cost-of-living and inflation crisis.
Tom Hoffmann, a member of Sozialistische Organisation Solidaritaet (Sol – CWI Germany) in Berlin reports: “The union ver.di demands a 10.5% wage increase or at least €500 for a period of 12 months. In view of the real wage losses due to high inflation and the lack of staff in many areas, this is sorely needed. Sol members were there from 6:30am and visited the picket at the Urban-Klinikum hospital in Kreuzberg. The workers we spoke to thought that the pay demands could have been higher. At 8.30am a rally began near the Berlin House of Representatives. Here too, Sol members expressed their solidarity, distributed leaflets and sold our newspaper Solidarity. We argued that the money to fund the demands should be sourced from the super-rich and big business.”
Christian Walter, a Sol member in Aachen, reports: “Sol members were at the ver.di demonstration, which was attended by hundreds of people. Delegations of employees from the municipal theatre, the fire brigade and other municipal companies were represented. Many workers from Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe public banks had travelled from all the surrounding area. The demands were written on posters and banners, and noise was made with rattles and whistles. For the final rally, the central square at the Elisenbrunnen was full of workers.”
France
The huge pension strikes which started on 19 and 21 January have continued with days of action on 31 January, 7 February and 11 February. The movement is against the pension reforms of the Borne-Macron government, which plans to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 years old.
On 11 February, according to the CGT union, over 2,500,000 protestors took part in demonstrations, a rise of 500,000 compared to 7 February.
Gauche Révolutionnaire (CWI France) reported: “Another show of force! Millions of workers, young people, retirees and self-employed people were on the streets – in big cities, but also in plenty of small towns all over the country. There was an obvious joy, coupled with a palpable determination to push back Macron. After the next strike on 16 February, we must bring the country to a standstill on 7 March.”
Gauche Révolutionnaire is calling for immediate pay rises to match inflation and full pension at the age of 60 maximum, or 55 when necessary.
