Warning strike in Schleswig-Holstein: Protest for higher salaries!

Warning strike in Schleswig-Holstein: Protest for higher salaries!

A clear outcry from the public service in Schleswig-Holstein: Next Wednesday, January 14, 2026, a warning strike will be carried out at the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital (UKSH) in Lübeck and other facilities in the state. The ver.di and GEW unions are asking all employees to take part in the protest actions and thereby draw attention to their demands. Those affected include not only the university hospitals in Kiel and Lübeck, but also schools and educational institutions in the cities of Kiel, Neumünster, Plön and Rendsburg-Eckernförde.

The background to the warning strike is the ongoing collective bargaining in the public sector in the federal states, in which the unions are demanding a salary increase of seven percent or a minimum of 300 euros per month. The Center for Integrative Psychiatry in Lübeck and numerous state offices are also affected by the protests. However, the Collective Bargaining Association of German States (TdL) reacts to the tense demands with the assessment that these demands are unaffordable. The unions are relying on pressure from the streets to point out these grievances.

Emergency service and minimum staffing

On the day of the strike, an emergency service will be set up in the UKSH in order to remain able to act in life-threatening situations. The minimum staffing levels for all areas have already been determined so that emergencies can be taken care of without restriction. The police union (GdP) is also planning smaller actions to show the connection between ensuring security and salary demands.

The situation in Schleswig-Holstein all the more affects the approximately 2.2 million employees in the public service, of which over 900,000 are collectively agreed employees in the public service of the states - apart from Hesse. The demands of the unions are loud and clear, especially in the areas of schools, university hospitals as well as in the penal system and the judiciary. In addition to the salary increase, they are also demanding, among other things, 200 euros more per month for junior staff and a 20 percent increase in all time bonuses.

Claims on the brink

Employers are dissatisfied because they see the high demands as “astronomical” and unaffordable. Finance Senator Andreas Dressel from Hamburg argues that since 2013, average increases in table fees have increased by 42%, while consumer prices only grew by 33.6%. There seems to be a clear gap between the expectations of the unions and the reality of the budget situation of the states.

In order to clarify the situation, negotiations between ver.di, the civil service association dbb and the employers are scheduled for January 15th and 16th in Potsdam. The unions' ability to mobilize is considered to be high, which also applies to the upcoming protest actions and warning strikes. The citizens of the state must prepare for an exciting day that could set the course for the future of the public service in Schleswig-Holstein.

For many it is clear: there is a lot at stake and, given the current salary discussions, every individual is doing a good deal for their colleagues and the future of the public sector through their commitment. It remains to be seen whether the human chain in front of the State Chancellery in Kiel will have lasting success.

For further information on the background and the status of collective bargaining, we recommend the reports from NDR, n-tv and daily news.