Thousands of flights and trains are expected to be canceled in Germany this week after two trade unions on Monday called for an expanded strike over wages and working conditions.
Negotiations are continuing over ground staff for German airline Lufthansa and drivers for German railway operator Deutsche Bahn. German train drivers’ unions GDL and Ver.di have called for strikes on Thursday and Friday.
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According to Lufthansa Group’s initial estimates, around 200,000 airline passengers will be affected by the two-day strike, which means around 1,000 flights per day will be canceled, similar to previous strikes. This was reported by the German news agency dpa.
The tail of a Lufthansa aircraft photographed at the airport in Munich, Germany, on February 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schroeder, File)
The long-distance and regional rail strike will begin at 2am (1pm Japan time) on Thursday and will affect millions of travelers. According to the GDL, the strike is scheduled to last until 1pm on Friday. In the freight transport sector, the strike will begin at 6pm on Wednesday (5pm Japan time) and continue until 5am on Friday.
In addition to a pay increase, the GDL is demanding a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours per week without a pay cut, but Deutsche Bahn has refused.
The Ver.di union has negotiated a 12.5% pay rise, or at least 500 euros ($542) a month, for around 25,000 Lufthansa ground workers, including check-in staff, aircraft handling staff, maintenance staff and cargo staff. is asking for an increase in the amount.
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A series of contract negotiations have recently led to several strikes in Germany’s rail, aviation and local transport sectors.
