Germany’s train drivers’ union announced the start of nationwide strikes on Wednesday, adding to the traffic chaos as the showdown between farmers and the government over farm subsidies continues.
Although the two protests both target the transport sector, they are unrelated.
The farmers are protesting against the government’s decision to slash many agricultural subsidies to close budget gaps.
However, the train drivers’ union GDL is protesting against collective bargaining gone wrong. After the national railway company, Deutsche Bahn, refused to meet the union’s demands, it announced a nationwide strike.
“It is the job of a chairman to represent the interests of his members,” said GDL leader Claus Weselsky, explaining the decision. Although the decision would have negative consequences for passengers, it was the only way to get the representatives of Deutsche Bahn to listen.
“In all previous wage disputes, the management of DB AG has lost in the end, has had to give in,” Weselsky told Phoenix.
Germany has already been hit hard this week by farmers’ protests, which have been going on since Monday, blocking main roads and motorways and causing major traffic jams.
With the train drivers’ strike threatening to paralyse much of the rail system, the traffic chaos caused by farmers is only likely to worsen.
Deutsche Bahn itself would lose millions of euros over the strike.
The German railway service took the matter to court but ultimately lost the legal battle for the strike’s legitimacy when the regional court of Hesse declared the strikes legal on Tuesday night.
(Oliver Noyan | Euractiv.de)
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