A large-scale strike in Germany paralyzes air and rail transport

MADRID, 27 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The ver.di and EVG unions have called a 24-hour rail transport strike starting at midnight on Monday that threatens to paralyze the country. "There will be serious delays and even the stoppage of transport services throughout Germany," they have reported in a joint statement.

With these actions, the pressure increases for the third round of negotiations with the federal government and local authorities, which begins on Monday.

Ver.di extends the strike to all German airports, except Berlin, and to public transport in the federal states of Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Wurttemberg, Saxony, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria.

According to the unions, strikes are taking place at airports, in connection with the negotiations of public service workers and the negotiations of ground attendants, as well as the nationwide negotiations of security workers.

The German airport association ADV considered that "around 380,000 business travelers and individuals" will be affected, as reported by the Agency of the German Press Agency (DPA).

Lufthansa has confirmed the cancellation and some delays in some of its flights already on Sunday due to technical problems. The reason is technical problems with external providers that affect check-in and boarding at Frankfurt Airport, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

The protest measure announced by EVG is also expected to affect the long-distance, regional and suburban rail services of Deutsche Bahn and other railway companies.

On the other hand, highway workers may also go along with the strike, so "car and truck drivers should prepare for traffic jams and detours." Problems are also expected in shipping, as numerous locks on major waterways will be on strike, as will the port of Hamburg.

In the current round of collective bargaining, ver.di demands a salary increase of 10.5% for federal and local government employees, but at least 500 euros more per month for a period of twelve months. Negotiations will continue in the third round on March 27-29, 2023 in Potsdam.

For its part, the EVG railway union demands a salary increase of 650 euros for all as a social component, alternatively 12% more, with a duration of twelve months. Additionally, the goal is to eliminate "wage inequities" such as when regionally different wages are paid for the same jobs.

The second round of negotiations with the approximately 50 companies in the rail and transport sector will continue after Easter. Entrepreneurs have until then to prepare negotiable offers.