The service‑sector union Verdi has reached a new collective agreement with employers that covers employees in the public services of the German Länder. Employees will receive an overall salary increase of 5.8 percent, to be implemented in three stages over 27 months. Junior staff will see a total rise of €150. In addition, working conditions in the eastern states will be brought into line with western standards, affecting dismissal protection and working hours at university clinics in Rostock, Greifswald and Jena.
Verdi chief Frank Werneke said the deal brings the wages of state employees up to the level that federal and municipal public‑service employees earned the previous year, keeping them on par with their colleagues.
The agreement applies to 925 000 tariff‑classified employees across all states except Hessen, where separate negotiations are underway. The first wage increase of 2.8 percent takes effect on 1 April 2026, followed by 2.0 percent on 1 March 2027 and a final 1.0 percent on 1 January 2028. Allowances for shift and rotating shift work are also raised.
For students employed at universities, the minimum hourly rates are set to rise to €15.20 in the summer semester of 2026 and to €15.90 a year later. A collective agreement was not approved for this group. In Hamburg, about 10 000 employees benefit from a “Hamburg bonus” that can reach up to €115.
