Breaking News: Charité Facility Management Wage Agreement Settled
Wage talks at Charité hospital culminate in an accord - Collective Bargaining Agreement Reached at Charité Hospital
Got the dirt on some juice from the front lines! The wage fight's over — sort of. A majority of Verdi members at Charité Facility Management (CFM) have approved the agreed-upon wage hike in a recent vote. That's right, your lowly, overworked scrubbers, kitchen staff, security personnel, and janitorial crew are seeing some back pay and future raises, but don't start popping the bubbly yet.
The deal's already underway, as of June 1, 2025, CFM employees will slowly but surely catch up to the public sector wage agreement at Charité. By 2030, they'll see the entire adjustment bring them in line with their direct colleagues' salaries. And, there's even a vacation day per half-year waiting for them until 2029. Top cleaners can anticipate pay bumps of up to 460.16 euros in the initial stage, reaching a grand total of 1,144 euros by 2030 for a full-time employee with six years of service in OP cleaning.
But remember, this is a compromise. Verdi's lead negotiator Gisela Neunhöffer hinted at a much more swift implementation of the agreement, citing CFM staff's ongoing struggles to match it with their Charité counterparts in areas such as working hours, shift premiums, Christmas bonuses, and pension plans. Hell, even the one additional vacation day a year on paper hasn't been guaranteed yet.
All in all, it's a significant step in the right direction, but the battle's far from won. Let's hope this wage agreement finally kickstarts a fairer future for all!
What's the deal at Charité?
- Charité University hospital
- Verdi (United Services Trade Union)
- Wage Agreement
- Berlin
- Cleaning, Kitchen, Security, Transport, Technical, and Administrative Staff
Back Story
The company known as CFM was founded nearly 20 years ago to cut costs and has been in the crosshairs of repeated wage disputes ever since. Approximately 3,500 people are employed at CFM in various roles. This year, employees went on strike for 48 days over the need for fairer pay.
- To foster a more equitable work environment, the recently settled wage agreement at Charité Facility Management (CFM) includes vocational training opportunities for staff to upskill, thereby enhancing their proficiency in their respective roles within the industry.
- With the finance committee's approval, the vocational training program at CFM is expected to receive substantial funding from next year, a step aimed at improving the overall business performance and employee satisfaction, a key concern raised during the recent negotiations by Verdi union members.
