Strikes disrupt transport across Germany, impacting thousands

Bloomberg reports that Europe's largest economy is grappling with a new wave of strikes in the passenger transport sector. This echoes the protests from last year, which, as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung estimated, could have cost up to 181 million euros.

The German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) has confirmed that this year's strike will commence on the night from Monday to Tuesday. Lufthansa's cabin crew are set to strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, impacting travellers at Frankfurt and Munich airports, as dpa reported on Sunday.

The GDL announced that the warning strike in passenger transport will begin on Tuesday (12 March) at 2 am.

According to a ZDF Heute report, "Deutsche Bahn attempted to avert the strike by proposing discussions with the union, but it failed to make a satisfactory offer." The rail company's deadline to propose an offer, which would have resumed negotiations on Monday, expired on Sunday evening.

Deutsche Bahn has expressed its desire to "return to the negotiating table" and finalize a collective labour agreement "for the benefit of its staff and customers" as swiftly as possible.

In this current round of collective bargaining, GDL has called for a strike five times, the most recent being a 35-hour strike that concluded on Friday afternoon. As ZDF Heute reminded us, last week's negotiation round with DB ended without success.

GDL's primary demand is for a 35-hour work week with full pay.

The Ufo trade union has scheduled a strike for next Tuesday and Wednesday by Lufthansa's cabin crew members. The union represents close to 19,000 stewards and stewardesses at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cityline.

Ufo has confirmed that the strike will disrupt all flights from Frankfurt on Tuesday (from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm) and all flights from Munich on Wednesday.

According to Lufthansa, about 100,000 passengers will be impacted by the strike, as reported by "Deutsche Welle." "We regret that rather than seeking negotiations, we're now facing a strike, with the trade union unnecessarily escalating the wage dispute at our passengers' expense," stated Lufthansa's HR director, Michael Niggemann.

UFO demands a 15-percent wage increase under an 18-month collective agreement, an inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros, and higher allowances.

UFO's head, Joachim Vázquez Bürger, underscored the corporation’s net profit, which increased by 112 percent to 1.67 billion euros last year, as highlighted by "DW."

"Cabin crew should also share in this success, and the sacrifices made during the coronavirus pandemic crisis need to be duly recognized," Vázquez Bürger explained. "We ask passengers for their understanding as we fight vigorously for our legitimate demands," he added.