Collective bargaining in the Elbe-Elster-Klinikum: movement until November 13th!

Collective bargaining in the Elbe-Elster-Klinikum: movement until November 13th!

Things will get exciting at the Elbe-Elster Clinic in Finsterwalde in the coming days: collective bargaining negotiations will begin their fourth round on November 13, 2025. Around 740 employees, including around 680 non-medical employees and 60 trainees, are the focus of these discussions. The ver.di collective bargaining committee has major goals to improve working conditions and salaries. So reported LR Online that an agreement is sought on a new pay scale, which should come into effect from January 1, 2026.

The present offer is intended to replace the regulations of superseded pay structures from the 80s and 90s and is based on modern features, as Ralf Franke, ver.di's negotiator, emphasizes. There has already been progress at the previous negotiation dates: from the first round on August 21st to the third on October 21st, 2025, important points on the new pay scale were discussed and partially agreed. This applies in particular to the allocation to pay groups, which in the future will be based on specific job characteristics.

Demands of the ver.di union

As of July 1, 2025, ver.di has formulated some comprehensive demands aimed at improving the financial and labor conditions of employees. The aim is to increase wages by 8 percent, but at least by 350 euros per month. In addition, weekly working hours are to be reduced from the current 39 hours to 38.5 hours, with full wage compensation. These are just some of the points that the ver.di union demands for employees in Finsterwalde. Furthermore, the shift and alternating shift allowances are to be raised to the level of the collective agreement for the public service, and an increase in training remuneration of 150 euros is required for trainees. The training allowance as such is considered fundamental for attracting new skilled workers in the region.

On September 3, 2025, the first collective agreement on the new pay scale was reached, but it remains to be seen how employers will react to the requested pay increases and improved working conditions. Elbe-Elster Klinikum GmbH has not yet made a comprehensive offer in this regard, so the negotiations will remain in focus.

Insights into the tariff landscape

The developments at the Elbe-Elster-Klinikum are embedded in a larger context of collective bargaining in the public sector. The talks will begin in November 2025 for around 2.6 million public sector employees in the federal states. Here too, the ver.di union is calling for noticeable improvements in income. The background is rising prices, especially for energy costs and food. The last round of collective bargaining already brought with it some salary increases, which could now serve as a benchmark for the coming negotiations Public Service News.

While on the one hand the ver.di collective bargaining commission would like to see the general conditions for employees in Finsterwalde improved, on the other hand the employers are under pressure to find an attractive solution to retain employees and attract new skilled workers. The year 2025 could therefore be a crucial one for the healthcare facilities in the Brandenburg region, especially when it comes to designing a sustainable human resources policy.

The coming negotiations will show whether both sides are prepared to approach each other and find constructive solutions. Eyes are on Finsterwalde, where the talks will enter the next round on November 13th.