The public service union Verdi has called for protest actions against proposed cuts to disability support services. On Monday, Verdi announced that the rights of people with disabilities are seriously jeopardized by the planned reductions. Sylvia Bühler, a member of the Verdi federal executive committee, described the proposed cuts as a “social policy bankruptcy” arguing that cutting spending on the most vulnerable populations is unacceptable.
The underlying issue is a list of proposed cuts developed by several federal ministries, states, and municipal associations. According to a paper published by the Paritätischer Gesamtverband, these proposed cuts include eliminating individualized school support for children and young people with disabilities, and restricting the right of disabled people to choose where they live, including living in their own apartment. Furthermore, the plans question the reframing of collective bargaining increases and guidelines regarding the deployment of specialized personnel.
Rebecca Liebig, another member of the Verdi federal executive committee, emphasized that the planned cuts affect not only people with disabilities, but also children and young people. As an example, the federal state of Saxony proposes that unaccompanied minors from 16 onwards should no longer be housed in specialized child and youth services but instead placed in initial reception facilities. In response, Verdi plans to draw attention to the consequences of the discussed cuts on Tuesday through a photography action in various cities, including Marburg and Bremen, under the slogan “Austerity Policy Disables”.