Suspension of Actions Against Charité Subsidiary CFM - Actions against CFM affiliate temporarily halted
Berlin, Germany - The ongoing wage dispute at Charité Facility Management (CFM), a subsidiary of the renowned Charité hospital, has led to a temporary suspension of a strike initiated by around 3,200 workers. The decision, announced by the trade union Verdi, comes after five consecutive rounds of failed negotiations, with both parties now scheduled to negotiate from Monday.
The striking employees, who are demanding wage scales comparable to those of directly employed Charité staff, have not ruled out returning to the streets if negotiations fail to yield progress. CFM management has conditioned the resumption of negotiations on the strike's temporary suspension.
Verdi and CFM are aiming to negotiate a phased plan to achieve wage scales according to the public sector wage agreement (TVöD) and to improve working conditions. Approximately 3,500 people work at CFM in various areas such as medical technology, patient transport, outdoor maintenance, cleaning, and security.
The dispute revolves around the demand for equal pay, in-house reintegration of CFM employees into Charité’s main workforce, a living wage, and an end to outsourcing at the hospital, all of which are seen as key issues in the fight against wage inequality and precarious work in Germany's healthcare sector. The strike, which began on April 2, 2025, is affecting patient care at Charité, with disruptions likely to continue until a resolution is reached.
- The community policy being formulated by Verdi and CFM may include provisions for vocational training programs in various occupations such as medical technology, patient transport, outdoor maintenance, cleaning, and security, to ensure a skilled workforce in the industry, and ultimately improve the financial sustainability in the banking-and-insurance sector.
- In an effort to alleviate the precarious work conditions and wage inequalities in the healthcare sector, Verdi and CFM are aiming to implement measures such as equal pay, an end to outsourcing, in-house reintegration of CFM employees, and improvements in working conditions, all of which are integral components of the larger vocational training and employment policies.
