New wave of strikes in German rail and air transport. In question, negotiations which are struggling to succeed both on salary increases and working conditions.
German transport users must be patient. This Thursday, a new strike disrupts traffic both on the rail and in the air, illustrating the deterioration of the social climate in Europe’s largest economy. About 80% of intercity and local train services have been canceled due to drivers leaving. Their union is demanding a 12.5% wage increase and a reduction in weekly working hours from 38 to 35 hours.
“It’s a big nuisance and I don’t really understand whether the requirements, some of which are certainly justified, need to be enforced with such harsh means.” explains a passenger.
“I have to go back to Italy now and I hope that the only train traveling today can take me back to Italy” adds a passenger.
Domestic and international air travel has also been hit hard, with Lufthansa teams joining in on the action. The airline announced that around 2,000 flights could be canceled between Thursday and Friday, affecting some 200,000 passengers. Negotiations continue, but unions have said more strikes are likely in the near future.
For the past year, Germany has been facing an increase in social conflicts in various professional sectors, from supermarkets to services, where negotiations on wages and working conditions are getting tougher after a long period of soaring prices. These tensions, which are shaking up a country long renowned for the quality of its social dialogue and the search for consensus between employers and unions, are crystallizing in the transport sector.