Germany's Transit Workers Strike Cripples Commutes
Approximately 100,000 public transit employees at roughly 150 municipal operators staged a 24-hour walkout beginning 3 a.m. local time (0200 GMT), orchestrated by the Ver.di union. Every German state except Lower Saxony faced crippling service disruptions.
The work stoppage wreaked havoc during peak commuting hours across metropolitan hubs including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich, where rail and bus operations ground to a virtual halt.
Ver.di negotiator Serat Canyurt justified the drastic measure, stating employers forced the union's hand. "Our priority is to make progress at the negotiating table," Canyurt told local media. He accused management of stonewalling demands that have remained unaddressed for two months.
Workers are demanding dramatically reduced working hours and shift lengths, extended rest intervals, and enhanced compensation for overnight and weekend duties. Across multiple states—Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saarland, and Thuringia—Ver.di representatives are simultaneously pursuing salary hikes with municipal transit authorities and operating companies.
The strike represents an escalation in labor tensions affecting Germany's vital urban infrastructure.
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