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Transport across Germany has been brought to a standstill by a union strike in what has been called one of the biggest walkouts in decades. Trains, planes and public transport systems were all affected by the one-day strike, according to multiple news reports.
Today (March 27, 2007) all Lufthansa flights have been grounded due to the extended strike, The Independent reported. The airline confirmed in its publication that all flights from Frankfurt and Munich will be affected, affecting thousands of passengers. The airline also said there are very few rebooking options for passengers. The airline is asking people planning to fly within Germany to take the train instead.
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The strikes have also created challenges for Lufthansa’s IT services provider, including affecting passengers’ ability to check-in for flights on the airline.
The 24-hour walkout is a response to wage issues and an attempt to get a wage increase that compensates for inflation. The unions are seeking a 10.5 percent wage increase and have rejected employers’ offers of a 5 percent increase over two years and a one-time payment.
Ulrich Silberbach, a member of the Civil Service Federation, told reporters in Berlin that we have recorded wage cuts and they must be balanced.
This is not the first labor strike in Germany in recent months. Flights across the country were canceled during the labor strike in February. That strike affected seven airports – from Frankfurt and Munich to Hamburg.
Meanwhile, the German airport association ADV condemned today’s massive strike as “beyond any conceivable and credible action”. The organization said about 380,000 air passengers were affected by flight disruptions. Many passengers are said to be sleeping on benches.
Rail jobs are feeling the impact of labor action. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn has canceled train services, Reuters reported. Ports and waterways workers have even joined the strike, reports the Associated Press.
Labor actions were sweeping Europe. France has seen repeated strikes in recent days and weeks as workers there have been expressing frustration over pension and retirement age reforms recently announced by French President Emmanuel Macron. The national retirement age for full retirement has been raised from 62 to 64 years. Although the new law has not yet come into force, leading trade unions have promised demonstrations and protests will not stop until Macron withdraws the changes.
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