Germany: Railway workers' strike severely disrupts traffic throughout the country

The strike by railway employees in Germany on 21 April 2023 brought almost all trains nationwide to a halt (illustration image). AFP - INA FASSBENDER

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On the morning of Friday 21 April, a strike by railway workers in Germany brought almost all trains across the country to a halt to demand wage increases.

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This second rail strike in a month shows that "the will to fight (...) remains high" among employees, welcomed the EVG transport union in a statement on Friday, April 21. Employee representatives are demanding a 12% increase in wages or at least 650 euros over twelve months to mitigate the effects of inflation on purchasing power.

Major disruptions

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More than 25,000 employees at about 1,800 sites" took part in the strike, according to the EVG, which represents the staff of the public rail operator Deutsche Bahn and some 50 transport companies in Germany. Employees were asked to stop work until 11am local time (9am GMT) on April 21 but traffic was expected to remain disrupted until the evening on the main lines, Deutsche Bahn warned.

The strike is "unnecessary" while wage negotiations are ongoing and proposals are on the table, Deutsche Bahn spokesman Achim Stauss said today. Because of the movement, "trains and stations are almost empty" in Germany, he lamented. The last strike on 27 March paralyzed the entire transport sector, including airports, for 24 hours, at the call of the stag do as well as the public services union, Verdi.

Tense negotiations

Verdi, which represents some 2.5 million employees, has also been conducting tense negotiations with the state and municipalities for several weeks. These talks are due to resume on Saturday to try to reach a wage agreement. Wage strikes have multiplied in recent months in Germany, from schools to hospitals to the Post Office. Inflation reached 7.4% in March year-on-year, with food prices rising by 22.3%.

► READ ALSO: Germany: seven airports paralyzed by the strike of staff

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Read on on the same topics:

  • Germany
  • Transport
  • Social issues
  • Employment and Labour
  • Unions