Bus and Tram Services in Germany Disrupted by Strike Over Pay and Working Hours
Public transport services have been severely impacted across 80 cities in Germany as approximately 90,000 transport workers stage a strike in protest of their working conditions.
The labor union Verdi has called for this industrial action in all 16 states of Germany, apart from Bavaria. In Berlin, a shorter strike lasting seven hours was announced.
A separate strike by security staff at 11 German airports on Thursday contributed to the disruption, affecting around 200,000 travelers and resulting in approximately 1,100 flight cancellations or delays, as reported by the German Airports Association.
The bus and tram services are expected to experience strikes from the start to the end of operations, generally from 3 am (02:00 GMT) on Friday to 3 am (02:00 GMT) on Saturday, as stated by Andreas Schackert, federal head of the buses and railways group at Verdi.
Verdi is advocating for enhanced working conditions, reduced working hours, and increased holiday entitlement, emphasizing the significant shortage of labor in public transport and the immense pressure faced by employees. They are also seeking a one-time payment of 3,000 euros ($3,247) to account for inflation in wage negotiations for public transport.
In Berlin, workers at the transit agency BVG are requesting additional holiday time and longer breaks, while in other areas like Brandenburg, workers are demanding a 20 percent pay increase.
Last week, train drivers went on strike, leading to a near standstill in the national rail system for five days, impacting Europe’s largest economy. This ongoing series of strikes has raised concerns about the potential economic repercussions in an already weakened German economy, as highlighted by Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research.
Environmental groups, including the youth and climate movement Fridays for Future, have expressed their support for the transport workers’ strike, emphasizing the importance of addressing the working conditions in the transport sector alongside environmental concerns.
The strike has prompted many commuters to seek alternative modes of transportation, such as cars or bikes, to reach their destinations. An analysis from the Federal Statistics Office in 2022 revealed that 40 percent of bus and tram drivers are over 55, with the average age of transport sector staff significantly higher than that of all employees in Germany.
In light of these developments, the strike’s impact on both the public and the economy continues to unfold, underscoring the importance of addressing the grievances of the transport workers for the efficient functioning of public transport services in Germany.
