Huge travel chaos is threatening Germany. The country's two largest transport unions have called a "mega strike." On Monday, air, train and truck traffic will stop in large parts of the country.
Several million transport workers are involved in the strike, which is the largest in the country in 30 years, writes Euronews.
”"Whole Germany trembling before the mega-strike!”, writes Picture.
The blockade began on Sunday when flights at Munich airport were cancelled. On Monday, Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, will also follow suit.
Düsseldorf Airport is warning its travelers of serious disruptions and urging them to carry minimal luggage to make it easier if flights, against all odds, take off.
380,000 air travelers are affected by the chaos.
Train and subway services will also be disrupted by the strike, while grocery stores will be forced to close due to the trucks not running.
"We predict that the country will be paralyzed on Monday," said Martin Seiler, head of human resources at Deutsche Bahn, to AP.
”It's frustrating”
Reactions vary between understanding, despair and irritation, writes Picture.
– The unions are throwing a stick in our spokes. It's frustrating. During the last strikes I had to take a taxi twice to get to work. It cost 50 euros a day to travel within Dortmund, says Sven Hoeper, 25, to Bild.
That's behind the strike
The mass strike comes after a series of failed attempts at talks between employers and unions. Inflation has risen in Germany following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while food and energy costs have soared.
The service workers' union Verdi, with 2.5 million members, is demanding a wage increase of 10.5 percent, while the EVG union, which represents railway workers, is demanding twelve percent.
In both cases, employers have refused to go beyond a five percent increase.
– We are a group that literally moves this country forward and is paid far too poorly to do so, says Verdi chairman Frank Werneke to German Deutsche Welle.
On Monday at ten o'clock, the parties will meet again, according to information provided to Bild.
Source: Aftonbladet.se
