German Doctors Announce Indefinite Strike Over Pay and Working Conditions

The Marburger Bund plans to begin a nationwide strike in municipal hospitals on January 15, 2025, following a 92% vote in favor of the action.

The Marburger Bund, representing over half of Germany's 61,000 municipal hospital doctors, is demanding an 8.5% pay increase and improved shift and on-call working conditions.
Negotiations with the Association of Municipal Employers (VKA) have been ongoing for six months without resolution, with the VKA calling the demands financially unsustainable.
The strike is set to begin on January 15, 2025, and will focus on South Germany, where municipal hospitals are particularly prevalent, including in cities like Munich and Nuremberg.
Protest events, including a major demonstration in Munich on January 17, are planned to amplify the union's demands for better pay and working conditions.
The strike coincides with the implementation of Germany's 2025 hospital reform, which introduces stricter funding and specialization requirements for hospitals, adding financial strain to smaller facilities.