On Friday, the 02.02.2024 The ver.di union has called for strikes throughout Germany as part of the #wedrivetogether campaign and the current collective bargaining in local transport. There was a strike in Kassel 500 KVG employees together with passengers, Students and Fridays for Future for better working conditions and massive investments in local public transport. Demands were handed over to Mayor Sven Schoeller at Kassel town hall.
Am 02.02.2024 gathered more than 500 Employed KVG and solidarity from schools, the university, and the city society at Kassel Central Station. The union had called ver.di along with Fridays for Future In the context of the #wirungen combination campaign.
#Wirting together is a nationwide merger between ver.di and fridays for future and in over 60 Cities active. In the alliance, employees have joined together with the users of local public transport, To fight together for better working conditions and public investments in local transport.
In the past few months, claims have been drawn up in the alliance in various cities. So bus drivers in Kassel demand additional bus traces, Pupils of Fridays for Future are committed to a higher clock of local transport at peak times. Dozens had collected signatures for the jointly developed claims as part of the campaign last December and January in Kassel.
In various speeches, the various problems in public transport was pointed out last Friday at the Demo's opening rally. Lack of personnel, Sick leave and a high workload are omnipresent and are mutually dependent. These problems would also trigger displeasure with passengers, If you are delayed, Failure, and lead the cancellation of individual lines.
“We are in a downward spiral, Because more and more drivers are missing. This makes the job more and more stressful, The services longer and the time for breaks and passengers shorter. This makes everyday work unbearable for us. "
Peter Krauspenhar, since 34 Years of employees at the KVG
The #wirubungen comb on the campaign called for this, To break through this vicious circle and to set up public transport according to the needs of the employees and users. The politically responsible should "finally take the necessary money in hand and end their austerity policy".
Also that Solibimon Care-Work Kassel pointed out the seriousness of the climate crisis and highlighted overlaps in austerity policy in local public transport and care. Both areas have been broken as part of public general interest in recent years. The consequences of it as well as a low appreciation, would both the employees and those, that are dependent on it, feel on your own skin.
At the end of the demonstration at the Kassel town hall, the Benerschührer Sven Schoeller with the demands of bus- and train drivers as well as from Fridays for future. Then all those present asked the mayor in the choir, to sign the petition.
Finally, he secured the petition together with his signature, to support the goals of the employees and passengers in his function as mayor as well as in the city council. To what extent Sven Schöller lets his words follow his words. The employees and active people of #wirubungen together are motivated, to dispute their demands with further strikes and actions.
“This strike day was the first step. Now it applies, to further support the collective bargaining round of the employees, and to build even more pressure from below. For this we are already preparing for the global climate strike on #wirubungen together 01.03.2024 vor, To take the street again with a lot of support. "
Esther Schindler from #wirungen together.
The next open meeting of the #wirungen combination campaign for all interested parties takes place on Thursday, the 08.02.2024, one 18:30 In the Philipp-Scheidemann-Haus, Raum 107 (Dutch street 74).
