Trains, planes and public transport systems have been completely shut down in most parts of Germany as unions in Germany declared a massive one-day strike on the 27th demanding wage increases to control inflation.
The 24-hour strike, the largest in decades, also affects freight transport by ship in addition to rail. German port and waterway workers joined the strike.
Serious traffic jams have been created across Germany as most workers who do not work from home drive to work in their cars.
The union, which is demanding a minimum wage increase of 10.5 per cent, has rejected employers’ proposals to raise wages by around 5 per cent over two years and pay bonuses one more time.
Ulrich Zilberbach of the Federation of Civil Servants’ Unions said, “Last year, elsewhere, high inflation also hit many workers hard.”
“Real wages have fallen, and we need to balance them out,” he said in Berlin. He added that some union members living in big cities have to apply for state benefits to pay rent.
Zilberbach hopes that employers will offer higher wages at the next meeting, or the unions may consider an indefinite strike.
Martin Buchert, president of the EVG railway union, lamented that workers’ wages were absurdly low compared to what some chief executives were making.
Meanwhile, railway company Deutsche Bahn said the union’s demands were exaggerated and warned that millions of commuters would be affected. Deutsche Bahn spokesman Achim Strauss said, “Thousands of companies that send or receive goods by rail will also suffer,” adding, “The environment and climate will eventually suffer as well. The winners today are the oil companies.”
“Train tickets not used due to the strike are still valid, and travelers should check the company website for the latest information,” he said.
The company and the union are expected to hold talks for three days. Interior Minister Nansi Pazer, who represents the federal government in the negotiations, said the talks would be “firm but fair and constructive”.
Pazer said he’s confident a good solution can come out of it.
[베를린=AP/뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.