A weeks-long day care strike in Germany is set to come to an end - at least temporarily. The trade union representing day care workers has agreed with management to enter mediation in an effort to settle a wage row.

The Verdi services sector trade union and the VKA federation of local employers announced on Thursday that they had agreed to enter mediation talks aimed at resolving a dispute over how much day care staff are paid.

VKA President Thomas Böhle said in a statement that his organization had agreed to go to mediation in order to "spare the children and their parents any further strikes. "He also noted that this was good news "for the parents in particular."

Verdi boss Frank Bsirske blamed the employers for the fact that the two sides had failed to reach an agreement, saying they had not been willing to accept a general upgrade in status and salaries that Verdi, along with the GEW union and the DBB civil servants' federation were demanding.

DW