Public transport across Germany disrupted as workers strike

Record ID: 1764110

  • Title: Public transport across Germany disrupted as workers strike
  • Date: 2nd February 2024
  • Summary: BONN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 2, 2024) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) DRONE VIEW OF PARKED PUBLIC BUSES AT BONN DEPOT VARIOUS OF PARKED PUBLIC BUSES AT DEPOT VARIOUS OF BUS DRIVERS ON STRIKE GATHERED NEAR AND INSIDE PARKED BUSES SIGN ON BUS READING (German): “BONN MUNICIPAL UTILITIES” (SOUNDBITE) (German) BUS DRIVER AND WORKS COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK KUEBLER, SAYING: “The employers’ association unfortunately has presented a counter demand which we feel is a return to the middle ages. They would like a 43-hour work week on a voluntary basis and they want to abolish the protection against dismissal we are entitled to after 15 years. So we are unfortunately forced to go on strike. Otherwise, we would not have gone on strike.” BUS DRIVERS ON STRIKE / SIGN ON BUS READING (German): “BONN MUNICIPAL UTILITIES” (SOUNDBITE) (German) BUS DRIVER AND WORKS COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK KUEBLER, SAYING: “The problem is that instead of making one step ahead, we are making ten backwards: my fear and that of all the other colleagues is that people will go elsewhere, the ones we still have with us. Instead of winning new people, we will lose people to other sectors. That would be fatal.” DRONE VIEW OF PARKED PUBLIC BUSES AT BONN DEPOT BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 2, 2024) (REUTERS) DESERTED ALEXANDERPLATZ SQUARE AROUND 8 A.M. (0700 GMT) WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE FULL OF COMMUTERS CHANGING TRAINS AND TRAMS / TELEVISION TOWER SIGN “ALEXANDERPLATZ” UNDERGROUND SIGN “ALEXANDERPLATZ” / LOCKED UNDERGROUND ENTRANCE LOCKED UNDERGROUND ENTRANCE DESERTED UNDERGROUND PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL UNDERGROUND SIGN / BARS OF LOCKED GATE UNDERGROUND OFFICIAL WEARING NEON VEST WALKING PAST BEHIND LOCKED GATE DESERTED TRAM STOP SIGN AT TRAM STOP TELLING TRAVELLERS IN GERMAN AND ENGLISH THAT STRIKE WILL LAST UNTIL 10 A.M. (0900 GMT) WOMAN LOOKING AT MOBILE PHONE MAN SITTING AT TRAM STOP RED STOP LIGHT INSIDE NEARBY LOCAL TRAIN STATION
  • Embargoed: 16th February 2024 08:38
  • Keywords: dispute industrial action public transport strike wages walkout
  • Location: BONN & BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: BONN & BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Europe,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001719502022024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:One day after more than 1,100 flights were cancelled due to a strike by Germany’s airport security personnel, commuters on Friday (February 2) were hit by a public transport strike across the country.
    Apart from the southern state of Bavaria, all other 15 German states were affected by the so-called warning strike which in most parts was to last all day, but in the capital Berlin until 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).
    A bus driver on strike in the western city of Bonn said he and his colleagues were “unfortunately forced to go on strike” because of employers’ demands which he called a “return to the middle ages.”
    Frank Kuebler, who is a member of the works council, said his employer wanted to introduce a 43-hour work week “on a voluntary basis and they want to abolish the protection against dismissal we are entitled to after 15 years” with the company.
    Germany’s trade union Verdi announced the local transport strike on Monday (January 29), just hours after train drivers ended their longest railway strike to date.
    This time, around 90,000 employees from more than 130 municipal companies are affected, according to the union.
    Central to the negotiations is the improvement of the employees' working conditions, a Verdi statement said, listing reduced weekly working hours and increased holiday entitlement as demands.
    (Production: Stephane Nitschke, Andi Kranz, Oliver Barth, Claudia Doerries, Michele Sani)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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