- Title: GERMANY: German commuters facing chaos as regional train drivers strike
- Date: 12th October 2007
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (German) BIRGIT ZEITZ, TRAVELLER, SAYING: "I feel it is just not right. In principle, the train drivers' demands are understandable, but the extent is not, and those massive effects are not understandable, either. Eight thousand people should not be terrorising 80 million people, that's just wrong. Their demands might be justified, but the means are not." (SOU
- Embargoed: 27th October 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Travel / Tourism,Social Services / Welfare
- Reuters ID: LVABE7E5209OOPVJER4RKO56E9NP
- Story Text: Train driver strike hits commuter services.
German train drivers began a full-day strike early on Friday (October 12), severely disrupting transport for millions of passengers and causing delays for commuters.
The GDL union, representing some 34,000 drivers, began walkouts on regional services at 2 a.m. (midnight GMT), escalating a heated wage dispute with national rail operator Deutsche Bahn that has dragged on for months.
Deutsche Bahn said around half of regional services were cancelled, and that many travellers appeared to be using alternative means of transport. The rail operator described long-distance rail services as "stable".
"I feel it is just not right. In principle, the train drivers' demands are understandable, but the extent is not, and those massive effects are not understandable, either," traveller Birgit Zeitz told Reuters.
"Eight thousand people should not be terrorising 80 million people, that's just wrong. Their demands might be justified, but the means are not."
The GDL said on Thursday (October 11) it was resorting to strikes because Deutsche Bahn had not improved its pay offer. Deutsche Bahn said the short notice gave it no time to come up with alternative scheduling plans.
The union says its train drivers are underpaid compared with counterparts elsewhere in Europe.
It has rejected agreements reached between Deutsche Bahn and two other larger rail unions for pay increases of 4.5 percent and wants a separate deal with raises of up to 31 percent.
Rail strikes are relatively rare in Germany but passengers faced some disruption due to industrial action over the summer and GDL drivers held a three-hour strike last Friday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None