BM85: Resolution in support of the student assistants movement in Germany
The European Student Unions express their firm support of the “TV Stud” movement of German student assistants at higher education institutions and non-university research institutes. This week, thousands of student assistants went on strike and took to the streets together with their colleagues from the mid-level academic staff – the main demands are significant salary increases for employees, a nationwide collective agreement, and better working conditions for academic staff. The current negotiation for a new collective agreement between the German states and the trade unions in the public sector has the chance to accomplish a historic feat: include all of the over 300.000 student assistants into the collective agreement for the first time in history.
Student assistants are the largest group of employees in German academia. Their work ensures that tutorials are provided, lectures are prepared, research projects have the necessary workforce, and much more. Without them, neither research nor teaching would be possible at the current level. Still, they are the only group that’s excluded from the collective agreement of the public sector of the German states and exploited as cheap labourers with very little protection from malpractice. Student assistants need the additional safety a collective agreement offers to balance their double dependency on their superiors as employers and teachers. As student assistant jobs provide an important source of income, better working conditions and pay are also urgently needed to combat the rising cost of living. The union demands a minimum fixed term contract of 24 months, at least 40h/month contracts, an hourly wage of at least 16,50€, the same holiday entitlement as the rest of the public sector, as well as special provisions for sick leave being necessary and reasonable.
We stand in solidarity with our colleagues and call upon the German states as employers to accept the joint demands of the student movement and trade unions. TVStud now!
Proposers: fzs
Seconders: MFS, ÖH, UDU, FEF, LSVb
