Music schools in Berlin: Honorary forces under pressure for permanent employment!

Music schools in Berlin: Honorary forces under pressure for permanent employment!

In a worrying trend, free music school teachers in Berlin are forced to do without a permanent position. As reported [rbbb24] (https://www.rbb24.de/kultur/-2025/06/bildung-musikschulen- Lehrkraefte-berlin-verzichtsklaerung.html), the district administrations have informed the fee forces that they can otherwise not be employed. This message goes hand in hand with the request to sign a waiver in which you confirm that it will continue to work as a fee by the end of 2026.

The background of this procedure is a persistent conflict about the bogus self -employed jobs at music schools. In 2022, the Federal Social Court found that a freelance teacher, which is integrated into the fixed processes of a music school, was classified as a bogus self -employed and consequently had to be fixed.

claims for permanent positions

The ver.di union has confirmed the worrying procedure in several Berlin districts, especially in Steglitz-Zehlendorf. Employees not only call for immediate permanent positions for music school teachers, but also a comprehensive financing of the music schools by the federal states and municipalities. According to ver.di the quality of musical education is to be secured and expanded by fair and secure teachers.

The union emphasizes that savings in social security contributions go at the expense of teachers and calls for unity under music school management, teachers, students, parents, administrations and politics. In addition, the need for employment for music school teachers subject to social security contributions is underlined. In most cases, the German pension insurance actually sees activities subject to social security at music schools.

rights of teachers and current regulations

Some music schools and municipalities oppose the conversion of fee activity into permanent positions, often for financial reasons. In order to enable educational institutions to adapt, the German Bundestag decided on January 30, 2025 on a transitional regulation within the framework of a law. Until the end of 2026, educational institutions have time to adapt their organizational models in accordance with the new framework conditions without having to pay social security contributions until then if the teachers and the providers originally went out of independence, as BMAS.

The change in assessment standards for the employment status of teachers from July 1, 2023 causes additional uncertainties. In a specialist dialogue with educational associations and social partners, it was found that a transition period is necessary to adjust to the new conditions. In 2022, the Federal Social Court found a dependent employment of a music school teacher in a summer judgment, which further intensified the current debate about the employment relationships of music school teachers.