Germany: Unionized doctors to stage warning strike, protests in several cities March 11

Unionized doctors employed at university hospitals and affiliated with the Marburger Bund labor union plan to strike and protest in several cities across Germany on March 11. Organizers announced the labor action after a reported breakdown in collective bargaining negotiations. It remains unclear how many participants will take part in the strikes and demonstrations; however, labor leaders expect several thousand striking doctors to attend rallies in Dusseldorf, Munich, and Stuttgart.

Participants will strike at university hospitals in Dusseldorf, Goettingen, Greifswald, Homburg, Jena, Kiel, Lubeck, Magdeburg, Munich, Rostock, Saarbrucken, and Stuttgart.

Planned demonstrations include:

• Dusseldorf: Demonstrators will gather at the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) building on Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse at 10:00, before marching at 11:00 to the North Rhine-Westphalia Finance Ministry building on Jagerhofstrasse for a rally.

• Kiel: Protesters will gather at Arnold-Heller-Strasse 6 before marching to the Ministry of Finance building at 11:00. A rally will take place at the nearby Reventlou Bridge (Reventloubruecke) at 11:30.

• Munich: Protesters will gather at the Maxmonument at 11:30 before marching to Marienplatz at 12:00 where a rally will begin at 13:00.

• Stuttgart: Protesters will gather at Schlossplatz at 11:00, depart at 11:30 to march through the city center, and subsequently return to Schlossplatz to rally from 12:30-14:00.

Disruptions to health care services could occur at affected hospitals, although emergency and urgent care treatment will probably remain unaffected. Heightened security and localized transport disruptions are likely near all protests. Low-level confrontations between protesters and law enforcement officers or frustrated motorists cannot be completely ruled out.