Travellers in Germany have been advised to cancel or postpone trips planned for Monday 27 March as widespread disruption to both rail and airport operations is expected following the announcement of a joint ‘mega strike’ from two of the country’s largest trade unions.
As part of ongoing pay disputes, the railway and transport union (EVG) has called for a full-day nationwide strike, which will affect all German rail operations, while the ver.di union, which represents airport workers, has also advised members to stage a walkout for 24 hours.
The collective bargaining dispute will see some 2.5 million employees walk off the job from midnight on Sunday 26 March until midnight on Monday 27 March.
Germany’s national rail provider, Deutsche Bahn, expects “massive impairments” across its entire railway operations, including regional and long-distance journeys, the latter of which have been “completely discontinued”.
The company also expects to see several cancellations on Tuesday 28 March due to the “after-effects” of the strike.
Major aviation hubs in Frankfurt in Munich have cancelled all regular passenger flights scheduled for Monday and warned transfer traffic will also be affected.
In Munich, the strike also includes Sunday 26 March, so flight operations will come to a standstill for 48 hours.
Flag carrier Lufthansa has “strongly advised” customers not to travel during the affected times and, due to the sheer number of cancellations, warned that it “will not be able to offer solutions for all passengers”.
“Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer any short-term solutions,” the carrier said in a statement. “As massive strikes in the public transport areas and at Deutsche Bahn are also to be expected on Monday, there is a risk that you will not be able to leave the airport again.”
However, the airline advised that domestic flight tickets could be exchanged for train tickets “free of charge” from Tuesday 28 March.
Ver.di chairman Frank Werneke said the two trade unions must “fight together for significantly higher wages” in order to combat high energy prices and rising food prices.
“It may be annoying when nothing works in everyday life, but the strikes are not only legitimate, they are also a last resort in industrial action for more money and better conditions,” he added.
The nationwide strike follows similar disruption in France this week, where transport workers walked off the job for four days (20-23 March) in an ongoing dispute over the French government’s plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64.