Public sector strikes to hit Germany next week over wages

BERLIN (AP) — A union representing public sector workers in Germany says it will start staging short-term warning strikes after the latest round of wage negotiations failed to produce an agreement. The Ver.di union, which represents some 2.3 million federal and local employees, said Sunday that strikes will start Tuesday. Warning strikes are a typical tactic in German labor negotiations and typically last between several hours to a day or two. The union is demanding a 4.8% raise for its wo