Hanover, Germany- Some 2,000 teachers stayed away from school Tuesday and demonstrated in the city of Hanover for more pay as part of rolling strikes against Germany's 16 state governments.

Ilse Schaad, the chief negotiator for the teachers' union GEW, told the protesters, "The states are not as poor as they pretend. The have a hoard of tax revenue which they can use to supplement pay."

Schaad said in Hanover the strikes at German schools would be stepped up in the course of the week "to show we are willing to fight." Public servants have staged intermittent strikes for days. The next round of pay bargaining is scheduled for Saturday.

GEW and other unions are demanding a pay hike of 8 per cent for employees of the state governments including teachers.

In Berlin, a doctors' union said 2,000 doctors employed by national occupational therapy agencies would begin rolling strikes from February 26 to press for better working conditions. The strikes would disrupt Germany's rehabilitation clinics. (dpa)- Some 2,000 teachers stayed away from school Tuesday and demonstrated in the city of Hanover for more pay as part of rolling strikes against Germany's 16 state governments.

Ilse Schaad, the chief negotiator for the teachers' union GEW, told the protesters, "The states are not as poor as they pretend. The have a hoard of tax revenue which they can use to supplement pay."

Schaad said in Hanover the strikes at German schools would be stepped up in the course of the week "to show we are willing to fight." Public servants have staged intermittent strikes for days. The next round of pay bargaining is scheduled for Saturday.

GEW and other unions are demanding a pay hike of 8 per cent for employees of the state governments including teachers.

In Berlin, a doctors' union said 2,000 doctors employed by national occupational therapy agencies would begin rolling strikes from February 26 to press for better working conditions. The strikes would disrupt Germany's rehabilitation clinics. (dpa)