Verdi, the service workers’ union, has announced that it will call for nationwide strikes in the public transport sector on Friday and Saturday. According to the union’s statement released on Tuesday, no buses or trains will run on Friday in a large number of municipal public transport operators, and the strike is expected to be extended into Saturday in many wage categories.
The action will affect roughly 150 public transport companies and bus operators across all German states, involving around 100,000 employees. Verdi is mainly negotiating with local employer associations over working conditions, seeking relief from weekly hour limits, changes to shift schedules, and higher night‑ and weekend‑pay premiums. In certain regions the talks also cover increased wages and salaries.
Deputy chair Christine Behle said the negotiations have seen little progress, despite four rounds already having taken place in some areas. She added that drivers’ workloads are far too high and staffing problems are worsening. The union expects the strike days to have a similar impact to the first nationwide strike on February 2, when traffic came to a halt in more than 100 companies for a full 24 hours.
