Travel chaos as workers strike
GERMANY faced strikes on several fronts yesterday, as train drivers and airport workers walked off the job, causing chaos for millions of travellers and adding to the country’s economic woes at a time of looming recession.
The strikes are the latest in a wave of industrial actions to hit Germany, where high inflation and staff bottlenecks have soured wage negotiations in key parts of the transport sector, including national rail, air travel and public transport.
Industry has warned about the costs of such strikes, after Europe’s largest economy contracted by 0.3% in 2023 and the government warned of a weaker-than-expected recovery.
A one-day nationwide rail strike costs around €100 million (R2 billion) in economic output, Michael Groemling, head of economic affairs at IW Koeln, said during GDL’s last strike in late January.
Train drivers began a fifth round of strikes in a long-running dispute at 2am after a walkout in the cargo division started on Wednesday evening. Also on strike were airline ground staff at Lufthansa LHAG.DE and security staff at some airports. These included Germany’s busiest Frankfurt hub, whose operator Fraport said 650 of yesterday’s 1 750 planned flights had been cancelled.
The train drivers’ walkout, set to last until this afternoon, marks the beginning of a series of strikes planned by GDL as it pushes for reduced working hours at full pay.
“The motivation is high to follow through with the conditions that we have set as GDL members,” said train driver Philipp Grams at the picket line in Cologne.
Deutsche Bahn has accused the union of refusing to compromise.
“The other side doesn’t budge a millimetre from its maximum position,” spokesperson Achim Stauss said.
Economy Minister Robert Habeck, however, said he had lost sympathy for the strikers.
“It must be possible to find a solution and not push your own interests so radically at the expense of other people; I no longer think that’s right,” he told broadcaster RTL/ntv.
The ADV airport association warned that strikes in the aviation sector, which took place in Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt yesterday, were damaging Germany’s reputation as a centre for business and tourism. Lufthansa ground staff began a twoday strike yesterday.