Overview

• The Berlin labor court ruled that a reprimand issued to a former Freie Universität Berlin employee for a union call to action was unjustified.
• The employee, a Verdi union board member, criticized the university's labor practices and alleged ties to right-wing extremism in a January 2024 statement.
• The court found the statements to be permissible value judgments that did not constitute defamation or violate workplace loyalty obligations.
• Freie Universität Berlin has appealed the decision, with the case now moving to the Landesarbeitsgericht Berlin-Brandenburg for further review.
• A related case involving a similar reprimand is scheduled for a hearing on July 2, highlighting ongoing tensions over labor rights and freedom of speech in the workplace.