Berlin: Mass layoff of 1400 employees at Tegel
The refugee shelter in Berlin-Tegel is facing a large wave of layoffs, with around 1,400 employees expected to lose their jobs by the end of this year. These employees work for the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz – DRK) Berlin branch, as well as other relief organizations, and all of them were working at the former airport site in Tegel.
The German Red Cross confirmed on Tuesday that employment contracts will end at the end of this year and will not be extended. A spokesperson for the organization stated that the institution made sure to inform the employees in a timely manner before their contracts expire.
This step comes as part of new plans adopted by the Senate in Berlin regarding the use of the site. Although the use of the site will be extended until May 2031, the capacity will be reduced, leading to a decrease in the need for workforce.
The authorities plan to convert part of the site into a new central reception center for refugees, where new arrivals will be registered and temporarily accommodated starting next year. The center will be able to accommodate about 2,600 people, which is much fewer than the site accommodated at its peak.
In 2022, Tegel served as a major reception center for refugees from Ukraine, where they were supposed to stay for a few days before moving to other states or to other housing locations within Berlin. However, the numbers quickly exceeded expectations, reaching into the thousands. Currently, the number of residents at the site has significantly decreased.