Dispute over working conditions: Cityscape of Kassel under pressure

Dispute over working conditions: Cityscape of Kassel under pressure

working conditions in focus: concerns about the municipal subsidiary cityscape

Kassel - The city's cityscape is at the center of a conflict that not only affects the employees there, but also indicates major structural problems in the public sector. The discussions about the working conditions and the treatment of their employees have gained intensity by non-extension of the contract of the works council chairman Oliver Degenhardt.

precarious employment relationships

The public service, especially in the area of school care, is often faced with challenges. At Stadtbild, a gGmbH that was launched in 2011 to manage all -day employees in schools, the working conditions are to be classified as "extremely precarious", according to André Schönewolf, a union secretary of Verdi. The employees often only receive temporary contracts and are classified well below the wages.

episodes for the employees

Degenhardt had strongly made up for fair employment relationships together with his colleagues and made claims such as the extension of their contracts, an appropriate payment and inflation compensation. Nevertheless, his contract, which ended on July 31, was not extended. This decision has accused the accusation that "uncomfortable employees" should be pushed out of the organization, which continues to burden the mood among the employees.

reactions of the management

Jürgen Hartrumpf, Managing Director of Stadtbild, rejects the allegations of the Union Confederation. He explains that the non-extension of contracts is not due to a conscious decision against certain employees, but rather to external factors such as the amount of state funding and the specific need for staff in schools. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how this situation can be improved for the employees.

The works council and its challenges

The newly founded works council was originally supposed to strengthen the voice of the employees, but the recent incident questions these ambitions. Peter Schubart, another member of the works council, has also received a non-extension of his contract, although his school does not want to do without him. Employees who work for their rights are in an insecure location. The unlimited positions are viewed as a necessary solution to counteract the ongoing shortage of skilled workers.

outlook: search for solutions

The city of Kassel has agreed in the past to have discussions about improving working conditions with unions and corporate management. The aim is to increase the quality of all -day care and to improve the situation for the employees. The challenges with which cityscape is confronted reflect a broader problem in the area of public general interest, where working conditions and appreciation of employees are often not in an appropriate relationship.

While Degenhardt is looking for new professional opportunities, the hope that the city and its subsidiaries will finally initiate substantial changes that are not only legally but also morally justifiable.

- Nag