An expected major blow in Germany: “The country will be paralyzed”

The EVG union, which represents many employees in the train movement, is behind the strike, along with the Verdi union, which in turn represents employees at airports, ports and in local transport across the country. In all, about 350,000 people were called into a one-day strike on Monday, according to unions.

The strike will have an enormous impact. We recognize that, and it’s essential, said Frank Wernke, Verdi’s chairman, when introducing the initiative Thursday.

He wants a salary increase of more than 10 percent

The reason for the strike is the ongoing wage negotiations between the union and the employer. To keep up with high inflation, Verdi has demanded increases of 10.5% for its members, while EVG is demanding 12%. The employers’ offer is 5 percent plus a lump sum.

– We are a group that is literally moving this country forward, and he is paid very poorly to do so, Werneke tells the German newspaper Deutsche Welle.

In February, Germany’s annual inflation rate was measured at 8.7 percent, the Associated Press writes.

“unnecessary and disproportionate”

The consequences of the strike are expected to be widespread mainly in all types of traffic. Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest, wrote on Twitter that it would suspend regular passenger traffic.

Deutsche Bahn, meanwhile, canceled all long-distance traffic on Monday and is urging commuters to reschedule their journeys. The company’s human resources director calls the strike “excessive and unnecessary”.

– In principle, nothing will be possible with train traffic on Monday, says Seiler.

The strike is described as the largest in Germany in more than 30 years, but it is not the first time transport workers have taken up this tool. Even in February German trains and air traffic stopped after Verdi members went on strike.