Major Railway and Airport Staff Strike Begins in Germany
A significant strike initiated by the German Locomotive Drivers Union (GDL) commenced in Germany on the night of March 7, lasting for 35 hours. Officially commencing at 2 a.m., it is causing substantial disruptions to most intercity and regional railway services across the country, as reported by SWR. Specifically, only one-fifth of the usual number of railway services will operate over the next two days.
According to a statement by GDL Chairman Klaus Weselsky, the strike is a response to unsuccessful negotiations with Deutsche Bahn. Representatives from the railway company, however, claim that the union terminated negotiations prematurely.
GDL's primary demand remains the reduction of the working week to 35 hours from the current 38 hours, while maintaining current wages.
Weselsky also warned of further "spontaneous" strikes, with the union no longer providing 48-hour notice to prevent Deutsche Bahn from releasing emergency schedules.
Furthermore, a pre-emptive strike by ground staff at Lufthansa is planned for March 7 and 8, called by the Ver.di union. During these days, a significant number of flights will be cancelled to exert pressure on the airline's management. According to Lufthansa, this new strike will affect around 200,000 passengers.
Additionally, Ver.di has called for a one-day strike of airport security personnel in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf.
Since the beginning of the year, Germany has witnessed three strikes by Lufthansa public service workers. The strike on February 1, affecting 11 German airports, resulted in over a thousand flight cancellations.
It's worth noting that last week, strikes of buses, trams, and metros occurred across most of Germany, marking the culmination of a week of phased protests by public transport workers.
Recall that on February 27 in Warsaw, a large-scale protest by farmers against the EU's new "green course" legislation took place. Protesters carried flags and banners, with slogans including "A Wall for Farmers." At the forefront of the march was a tank-shaped installation made of hay bales. Protesters also lit fires and launched rockets, prompting police intervention.