Mataf nearly empty as entry to Makkah restricted to Hajj visa holders    Cinema revenues account for SR845.6 million in 2024 17 Saudi films among 504 films screened    Will US tariff hikes affect Saudi Arabia? Kingdom largely insulated as oil exports remain exempt and non-oil sectors gain a pricing edge    Expat arrested for immoral act at a massage center in Jazan    Saudi Transplant Congress discusses scientific advancements and innovations on organ donation and transplantation    Mawani and Alissa Universal Motors sign agreement worth SR300 million to establish Logistics Zone at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam    Al-Khereiji at BRICS: Saudi Arabia a reliable and neutral partner in endeavors for de-escalating tensions    Saudi market shows resilience in Q1 2025 despite global volatility: Report    Saudi Arabia urges India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions    Trump congratulates Canada's Carney as they agree to meet in 'near future'    Sánchez vows to uncover reasons behind massive Iberian power outage    Guterres warns two-state solution is 'near a point of no return'    Al Ahli stun Al Hilal to reach AFC Champions League Elite final    4 Chinese nationals arrested in Makkah for promoting fake Hajj campaigns    SR200,000 reward for each player of the Saudi club winning AFC Champions League title    William and Kate celebrate anniversary on Isle of Mull    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



German childcare centres close in strike over pay and conditions
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 15 - 05 - 2009

Nursery schools across Germany remained closed today, as childcare staff went on strike over pay and work
conditions, according to dpa.
Around 11,000 educators didn't go to work, according to Verdi
trade union, forcing thousands of parents to find alternative
arrangements for their young children.
The strikes affected the states of North Rhine-Westphalia,
Rhineland-Palatinate, Hessen, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Saarland
and Baden-Wuerttemberg.
The industrial action was to be extended to other states such as
Bavaria and Lower Saxony on Monday, Verdi trade union leader Frank
Bsirske said at a rally in Cologne.
"High work intensity and little personnel define everyday life in
childcare centres," Bsirske said, adding, "The physical and emotional
pressure is high."
The trade unionist said educators were often confronted with noise
levels exceeding 100 decibels.
"That corresponds to the levels of a jet plane," Bsirke added. He
said carers often suffered muscular and skeletal problems resulting
from lifting children.
The federal and regional governments have set ambitious aims for
pre-school nurseries to teach children basic skills, after Germany
ranked poorly in the so-called PISA worldwide test of children's
school performance run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD).
As a result, politicians are calling for nursery schools to
provide early learning schemes for children of pre-school age,
although many nurseries lack staff and money, and educators say they
are often not trained sufficiently.
By 2013, Germany is also to increase the number of childcare
places, so they are available for more than a third of all children
younger than three.
Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen expressed sympathy for
childcare staff. "The increase of childcare provision must be
accompanied by an improvement in quality," the minister said.
"Of course, that costs money," she added in an an interview with
daily Ruhr Nachrichten.
In the city of Ulm, where most childcare centres remained shut,
mayor Ivo Goenner showed little sympathy. "The working conditions of
the educators are far from inhuman," Goenner said.
Reduced tax revenues meant cities and communes could not spend
more money on childcare, Goenner added.
Roughly 2.25 million German children attend nursery schools and
daycare centres. School is compulsory in Germany from the age of 6.


Clic here to read the story from its source.