Marathon pay talks between Germany’s public sector unions and the government have collapsed, increasing the likelihood of a nation-wide strike in January. Frank Bsirske, chairman of the public sector workers‘ union, ver.di, said that the pay deal offered by the employers was "totally unacceptable". In addition to a three percent pay hike, trade unions want greater equality in pay between workers in the former communist eastern Germany and the richer west. A wave of strikes this week has crippled airports and public transportation and kindergarten, hospitals and garbage collections services were also affected.