Strike in Germany: Trains and flights were also canceled in Austria

All train lines across Deutsches Eck are affected. ÖBB is appealing to travelers to postpone non-essential trips. It is not clear if further strike days are imminent.

Trains, buses and planes have been stationary across Germany since midnight. The 24-hour warning strike also caused significant damage to rail and air traffic in Austria. Among other things, all train lines across Deutsches Eck were affected. Trains to and from Germany will be shortened or cancelled. According to information from Vienna Airport, all flights between Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Stuttgart have been canceled today.

With warning strikes, the German trade union Verdi and the railway and transport union (EVG) want to put more pressure on the ongoing wage negotiations.

On the rails, long-distance traffic will come to a complete halt on Monday and regional traffic will largely cease. Almost all German airports are on strike, but not Berlin. Waterways and ports, as well as the highway company, were also affected. Munich Airport went on strike already on Sunday, and all 12 flights between Munich and Vienna have been cancelled.

ÖBB: Postpone non-essential trips

In Austria, the strike also had a massive impact. Trains to and from Germany will be shortened or cancelled. All train lines across Deutsches Eck were also affected. A shuttle service will be set up every 2 hours. Trips can take up to three hours longer. ÖBB asks all affected travelers to postpone non-essential trips on these routes or to choose alternative travel options.

Several flights with the neighboring country have also been cancelled. According to information from Vienna Airport, all flights between Vienna and Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Stuttgart will be canceled on Monday. There are also individual cancellations of flights to and from Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Cologne – a total of 28 outbound flights and 27 return flights to and from these destinations.

Flights between Salzburg, Frankfurt and Cologne have also been cancelled, as have all three flights between Innsbruck and Frankfurt and two return flights between Linz and Frankfurt. All travelers are advised to check with their airline or tour operator regarding their air travel. The main pages of airlines and airports also provide an overview of current arrivals and departures.

The effects are still noticeable on Tuesday

The effects of the warning strike should still be felt on Tuesday. In long-distance Deutsche Bahn traffic, for example, it will take some time before the ICE and IC trains get back to where you need them to be. Train said cancellations can still be expected, especially at the start of the day. Impacts are also possible at airports on Tuesday.

It is not clear if further strike days are imminent. Today’s withdrawal is a long-planned action, but initially it was a one-time action by the unions involved. With the warning strike, Verdi wants to increase pressure on municipalities and the federal government. If the two sides agree in Potsdam, the EVG will no longer be able to join forces with Verdi for possible further rail strikes. In view of the confrontational situation, further strikes in the public sector are not ruled out.

“I need a decent show.”

In any case, the EVG railway workers’ union defended the warning strike and warned of new failures over the Easter break. “It depends on whether the railway board will soon make a suitable offer,” EVG boss Martin Birkert told the Augsburger Allgemeine (Monday’s edition), according to the preliminary report. However, the union does not aim to warn of strikes during the Easter period. Verdi chairman Frank Wernicke also defended the strike, while Ulrich Silberbach, the head of the German civil servants’ union DBB, warned of a further escalation of the strike.

EVG is negotiating for about 230,000 employees of 50 train and bus companies, who want 12 percent extra wages, but at least €650 extra per month. Verdi negotiates with approximately 2.5 million public sector employees in federal and local governments, including those who work in local transportation and at airports. The federation demands 10.5 percent more, but no less than 500 euros per month.

Under tense circumstances, Verdi and the DBB civil servants’ association meet again with the local authorities and the federal government in Potsdam today. This is where the third round of negotiations for 2.5 million workers begins. Negotiators are still far apart, but an agreement in the following days cannot be ruled out. At EVG, further negotiations with various rail companies are pending from mid-week. Negotiations with Deutsche Bahn should only continue after Easter.

(Apa / dpa / Reuters)