Wave of strikes in Germany: Kassel researcher expects tougher strikes in future

Nowak is a fellow of the international doctoral program Global Social Policies and Governance at the University of Kassel. He explains the perceived increase in strikes as follows: "In the past, strikes were mainly in industry, but for the past three years it has been mainly employees from the service sector who have been laying down their work. Of course, we feel this much more directly. If no cars are produced for a week, the majority of the population is not interested at first. If the post office doesn't come or the railroad doesn't run, it affects us directly." The privatization of former state-owned enterprises such as the postal service and the railroads is doing the rest.

As a result of the termination of the social partnership, strikes will intensify in the near future, expects Nowak, who has published several papers on the subject. "Whereas a warning strike used to be enough, today a long-term work stoppage is necessary for achieving collective bargaining goals."

Nowak does not expect the planned law on collective bargaining unity to defuse the current collective bargaining disputes between Deutsche Bahn and GDL.

Mr. Nowak is available for follow-up questions and interviews.

Contact:

Thomas Kossert
University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de