GERMANY: Striking public workers are blamed for accidents on icy roads in Germany

Record ID: 341360

  • Title: GERMANY: Striking public workers are blamed for accidents on icy roads in Germany
  • Date: 7th March 2006
  • Summary: (BN10) A5 MOTORWAY NEAR HAMBURG, GERMANY (MARCH 7, 2006) (REUTERS) POLICE CAR AT ACCIDENT SITE ON THE MOTORWAY WITH POLICEWOMAN WALKING ALONG ICY ROAD POLICE CAR WITH LIGHTS FLASHING ICY ROAD WITH YELLOW VAN POLICE CHECKING YELLOW VAN INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT (SOUNDBITE) (German) DRIVER, ANDREAS WINTER, SAYING: "I have absolutely no sympathy for them, none. I have to do my
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVA7EI5DLYMEQ3LMYI1N58HWRKOT
  • Story Text: Public sector workers in Germany were being blamed for accidents on icy roads in the north of the country on Tuesday (March 7). Germany's biggest public-sector strike in 14 years has meant that winter service on the roads has not been carried out regularly.
    Instead of clearing the snow and ice from the roads and motorways, thousands of workers have been taking part in a strike to protest against employers' plans to extend working hours. Roads and motorways have not being gritted or salted, and snow and ice has caused numerous accidents.
    Some truck drivers in northern Germany blame the workers.
    "I have absolutely no sympathy for them, none. I have to do my job as well, I have to drive every day. I have no sympathy for it," driver Andreas Winter told Reuters.
    Another driver, Boris Pavelczik, said: "The road is like a mirror of ice. The workers who grit the roads are on strike - it's terrible. What if something happens? Does someone have to die first?."
    Motorway workers were demonstrating outside their headquarters on the A25 motorways.
    One demonstrator urged drivers to drive carefully and appealed for public support for their actions.
    "It might get icy in the next few days, depending on the weather, but my request to people around the country is to support our strike and to try and understand our protest, and I can only say: drive carefully, drive slowly and according to the conditions on the roads. Just like it says in the highway code," said Thomas Kuehn.
    Some 25,000 public sector workers in ten of Germany's 16 states went on strike last week to protest against planned increases in working hours and cut backs in holiday and Christmas bonuses by some local authority and state employers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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