Germany to face travel chaos with rail, airport strikes to resume
The German train drivers' union said on Monday it would commence a fresh round of nationwide strikes as a dispute with national train operator Deutsche Bahn escalated, setting the stage for further travel disruption impacting millions of people, Reuters reports.
The train drivers' union GDL has staged a series of strikes aimed at reducing its workers' weekly hours at full pay to help offset lofty inflation and staff shortages in Europe's largest economy.
The latest rail strikes, due to start on Thursday, will coincide with industrial action by Lufthansa airline's ground staff on Thursday and Friday, which will likely disrupt travel plans for thousands of passengers.
The first passenger rail strike will begin at 0100 GMT on Thursday and last 35 hours, GDL union head Claus Weselsky said, adding that information on further worker action would follow.
"With this, we begin a so-called strike wave," he told reporters.
The planned strikes are a continuation of a dispute that is estimated to have already cost the German economy hundreds of millions of euros.
Weeks-long talks between GDL and Deutsche Bahn (DBN.UL) broke down last week.
GDL's last national rail strike in late January was set to be the longest in the state-owned company's 30-year history, but ended prematurely as a German economic slowdown led to pressure on GDL to return to the negotiating table.
