Germany Paralysed as Transport Workers Launch Nationwide Strike Over Working Conditions

Trade union Verdi demands shorter shifts, longer rest breaks and higher weekend pay; millions of commuters stranded
BERLIN —
Germany’s public transport network ground to a halt on Friday as transport workers launched a nationwide strike under the banner of the powerful trade union Verdi, causing widespread disruption to buses, trams and local rail services across the country.
The industrial action was called after negotiations between Verdi and employer associations failed to produce an agreement on key working condition demands. Millions of daily commuters were left scrambling for alternatives as services were suspended in cities and towns across the country.
Verdi leaders are pressing for a significant reduction in weekly working hours for transport employees, shorter individual shift durations, longer mandatory rest periods between shifts, and substantially higher pay for work carried out during night hours as well as on Saturdays and Sundays.
Union representatives argued that transport workers have for years operated under unsustainable conditions that take a heavy toll on their health and personal lives. “We are fighting for fair working conditions — this strike is not a threat, it is a necessity,” a Verdi spokesperson said.
Employer groups have so far declined to meet the union’s demands in full, with negotiations yet to yield a breakthrough. Analysts warn that if both sides fail to return to the table swiftly, the strike could extend further, deepening the disruption to Germany’s already strained public transport infrastructure.
The action is the latest in a series of industrial stoppages across Europe as workers in multiple sectors push back against long hours, stagnant real wages and deteriorating working conditions.