Germany braces for ‘mega strike’: Bus, railways, airports to come to grinding halt on Monday

Travellers in Germany are bracing for huge transport chaos as the country’s two major unions have called for a one-day strike seeking higher wages to cope up with the high cost of living.

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, employees working at railways, airports, ports, buses and subways walked out ahead of the 24-hour halt.

German news agency dpa reported that around 1,500 connections were affected, and take-offs and landings were only possible for emergency humanitarian flights.

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Though there have been sporadic smaller walkouts by other public service sectors, Monday will be the largest strike in decades in the country

The two unions involved in the strike are Verdi and EVG— which are among the largest in Germany.

Verdi represents around 2.5 million employees across the public sector including in public transport and at airports. And EVG represents around 230,000 employees at Deutsche Bahn - Germany's national rail operator, and other bus companies.

Officials at Munich Airport, Germany's second-busiest airport, said that there would be no passenger or cargo flights on either Sunday or Monday.

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Germany's airport association said about 380,000 air travellers would be affected by the strike but added that it was "beyond any imaginable and justifiable measure", reports BBC.

This is the first time that two unions have joined forces in Germany—something that hasn’t been witnessed in the country’s history.

It follows a series of failed talks with employers in recent weeks, forcing the workers to announce an all-out ultimatum to heed to their demands.

They want this agitation to serve as a warning to the employers before another round of pay negotiations begins on Monday.

"The people are not only underpaid, they are hopelessly overworked," Frank Werneke, the chief of Verdi, was quoted as saying, as he described the pay rise as "a matter of survival”.

Verdi is seeking a 10.5 per cent pay rise, while the EVG wants a 12 per cent raise for its staff.

(With inputs from agencies)

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