The German transport union EVG (Die Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft) has announced a new round of strikes affecting train services. The strikes are set to take place over 50 hours from Sunday evening 10:00 p.m. to Tuesday night 12:00 a.m., with disruptions expected across the country. The union is demanding a 12 percent wage increase to help workers cope with the increasing inflation and cost of living.
This is not the first time that the union has called for strikes in recent months. There were two strikes in the last few months that caused significant disruption to train services. The union argues that these strikes are necessary to put pressure on employers and to ensure that workers’ rights are protected.
While the strikes may be inconvenient for passengers, they serve as a reminder of the importance of fair working conditions and the need for workers to have a voice in the workplace.
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It is to be noted that Deutsche Bahn, the largest railway company in Germany, had previously offered a pay raise of ten percent for workers on lower to middle incomes and eight percent for those on higher incomes. Additionally, the company offered a one-off payment of €2,850 to help employees cope with rising living costs.
EVG has rejected the offer from Deutsche Bahn, stating that it does not meet the workers’ demands. The union argues that the current offer is insufficient to tackle the impact of inflation and the rising cost of living.
The strikes will impact both long-distance and regional train services, as well as freight trains. The passengers are advised to check their travel plans and make alternative arrangements if necessary.
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References
1. “German transport union announces nationwide 50-hour rail strike“, thelocal.de
2. “50 Stunden Warnstreik im Bahnverkehr ab Sonntag”, mdr.de
3. “German rail union’s planned strike likely to impact freight, rail traffic”, reuters.com
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