„Due to a warning strike of NDR the usual pictures in the background are missing.“ Those were the words of newsreader Constantin Schreiber, who opened the Tagesschau at 8pm last Saturday (October 12th 2024). Since the year began these strikes have caused several program changes of the largest public broadcasters. (NDR, SWR, WDR and BR).

The workers are demanding a new renumeration agreement with an increase of salaries by 5.21%. Further, freelancing workers demand to be treated like permanent employees in the event of illness – the latter are financially supported from the first day of illness. Freelancers, on the other hand, are currently only supported from the fourth day of illness also to a lesser extent. 

“You can tell that the NDR wants to push us back to work quickly. But that will only work if they also meet our main demand for an increase in salaries” said Björn Siebke, ver.di union representative in Hamburg, about the extension of the strike that began last Monday (October 7th 2024).

It remains unclear how long the strikes will last. The next negotiation with NDR responsibles is already planned for Tuesday, October 15, 2024.


Watch the broadcast from Saturday, October 12, 2024 in the ARD Mediathek.