On Friday, various institutions, including daycare centres and social welfare offices in Germany, initiated a nationwide strike called by the Education and Science Union (GEW). This action coincided with Equal Pay Day and aimed to spotlight the challenges faced by women in the care sector, where pay is often unequal. Verdi's deputy chairwoman, Christine Behle, emphasized the need for better working conditions, particularly in public-sector jobs, which suffer from understaffing. A joint analysis revealed that many daycare workers feel pressured to perform tasks quickly, raising concerns about a potential systemic crisis in the sector.
It's a clear signal for pay justice and better conditions in social professions, which are often undervalued, said Christine Behle, Verdi's deputy chairwoman, ahead of the strikes.
Women in Germany not only face a 16 percent pay gap compared to their male counterparts, but often have to juggle multiple care roles in their personal and professional life, Behle explained.
In the social and care professions in particular, we need significantly more employees and opportunities for flexible working hours to ensure a good work-life balance, she said.
The pressure is mounting, and without support, it's only a matter of time before the system collapses completely, one Kita worker wrote in an anonymous account.
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