Almost all federal states affected: Verdi is asking for a public transport strike on Friday and Saturday | EUROtoday

The Verdi union is asking for nationwide warning strikes in native public transport on Friday and in some areas additionally on Saturday. As the union introduced, staff in virtually all federal states ought to cease work. As a end result, there will probably be virtually no buses and trains operating in quite a few native public transport corporations on the 2 days. The strike is scheduled to start on Friday within the early hours of the morning and, relying on the area, final till the night time of Saturday or Sunday.

It remains to be unclear whether or not there will probably be a strike in Baden-Württemberg, on the Hamburger Hochbahn and the Hamburg-Holstein transport firm – selections will probably be made right now and later within the week. Lower Saxony is exempt from strikes, the place a peace obligation nonetheless applies till the tip of March.

“Apparently employers still do not understand that in the long term there can no longer be a functioning public transport service if we do not significantly improve working conditions now,” mentioned Verdi deputy chairwoman Christine Behle, in line with an announcement. “Colleagues urgently need relief – and employers need a clear signal that we are determined to fight for our demands.”

Big affect on warning strike on February 2nd

This is the second time within the present collective bargaining spherical that the union is asking for nationwide public transport warning strikes. The first time on February 2nd, the results have been main: in massive elements of Germany, native public transport got here to an virtually full standstill. In addition, the union is at the moment repeatedly on regional strike towards native transport corporations in particular person states and cities, most just lately in Hesse and Bavaria.

Expected to be extra automobile site visitors on warning strike days

The new warning strike is more likely to be annoying for thousands and thousands of staff, particularly on Friday – as a result of they often nonetheless need to be at work on time. And for fogeys too: Students typically cannot simply keep at dwelling due to a warning strike.

The warning strikes originally of February additionally had an affect on the remainder of the site visitors as a result of many individuals switched to vehicles. According to the ADAC, there was a slight enhance within the size and period of site visitors jams nationwide. In addition, in line with the ride-hailing firm Freenow, demand for taxis rose sharply within the morning hours. After all, the warning strikes are unlikely to be accompanied by icy climate once more – double-digit temperatures are anticipated throughout Germany.

Negotiations particularly about working circumstances

In the collective bargaining negotiations, that are principally carried out with native employers’ associations in all 16 federal states, Verdi is demanding considerably higher working circumstances – for instance by shorter weekly working hours and shift occasions, longer relaxation intervals, but additionally by larger bonuses for work at night time and on weekends.

“The negotiations are making little progress overall, although there have already been four rounds in individual areas,” mentioned Verdi deputy boss Behle. That was “more than disappointing”.

Employers have additionally just lately complained in regards to the lack of progress within the negotiations. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), the biggest public transport firm in Germany, criticized, for instance, that Verdi had not but made it clear which calls for the union discovered notably necessary.