Among other things, all train connections via the Deutsches Eck are affected. Trains to and from Germany will be shortened or cancelled. According to information from Vienna Airport, all flight connections between Vienna and Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Stuttgart are canceled today.
With the warning strikes, the German trade union Verdi and the railway and transport union (EVG) want to increase the pressure on the ongoing wage negotiations.
On the rails, long-distance traffic will be completely discontinued on Monday and regional traffic will largely be discontinued. Almost all German airports are on strike, but not Berlin Airport. Waterways and ports as well as the motorway company are also affected. Munich Airport was already on strike on Sunday, and all twelve flights between Munich and Vienna were cancelled.
Massive delays: Austria also affected
In Austria, the strike is also having a massive impact. Trains to and from Germany will be shortened or cancelled. All train connections via the Deutsches Eck are also affected. A shuttle service will be set up every two hours. Journeys can take up to three hours longer. ÖBB is asking all affected travelers to postpone non-essential journeys on these routes or to choose alternative travel options.
Bild: pictureshooting/Mikovits
Many flight connections with the neighboring country are also canceled. According to information from Vienna Airport, all flight connections between Vienna and Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Stuttgart will be canceled on Monday. There are also individual cancellations of flight connections to and from Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Cologne – a total of 28 outward and 27 return flights to and from these destinations.
The flights between Salzburg and Frankfurt and Cologne were also canceled, as were all three flight connections between Innsbruck and Frankfurt and two return flights each between Linz and Frankfurt. All travelers are advised to check with their airline or tour operator regarding their air travel. The homepages of the respective airlines and airports also provide an overview of current arrivals and departures.
No reassurance on Tuesday
The effects of the warning strike should still be felt on Tuesday. In the long-distance traffic of Deutsche Bahn, for example, it will take some time before the ICE and IC trains are back where they are needed. The train said that train cancellations can still be expected, especially at the beginning of the day. Effects are also possible at the airports on Tuesday.
It is unclear whether further strike days are imminent. Today’s walkout is a long-planned, but initially one-off action by the unions involved. With the warning strike, Verdi wants to increase the pressure on the municipalities and the federal government. If both sides agree in Potsdam, the EVG would 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 off the table.
In any case, the railway workers’ union EVG defended the warning strike and warned of new failures during the Easter holidays. “It depends on whether the railway board will soon submit a proper offer,” said EVG chairman Martin Burkert of the newspaper “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Monday edition) according to the preliminary report. However, the union is not aiming for warning strikes during the Easter holiday period. Verdi boss Frank Werneke also defended the strike, while the head of the German civil servants’ association dbb, Ulrich Silberbach, warned of a further escalation of industrial action.
Twelve percent more wages demanded
The EVG is negotiating for around 230,000 employees at 50 train and bus companies, for whom they want twelve percent more wages, but at least 650 euros more per month. Verdi is negotiating for the approximately 2.5 million public sector employees at the federal and local governments, including those working in local transport and at airports. The union demands 10.5 percent more, but at least 500 euros a month.
Under tense circumstances, Verdi and the civil servants’ association dbb are once more meeting the local authorities and the federal government in Potsdam today. This is where the third round of negotiations for 2.5 million workers begins. The negotiators are still far apart, but an agreement in the following days cannot be ruled out. At the EVG, further negotiations with the various railway companies are pending from the middle of the week. Negotiations with Deutsche Bahn should only continue following Easter.
