For a better offer in public transport: Fridays for Future supported Verdi in her warning strikes in public transport with a nationwide day of action. The day mainly brought restrictions for passengers.
The Verdi union has once again paralyzed bus, subway and tram traffic in numerous federal states with a large-scale warning strike. It was the second round of warning strikes in the ongoing collective bargaining dispute in local public transport, which Verdi is carrying out at the same time in almost all federal states.
The union was once again supported by the climate movement Fridays for Future, which has called for a nationwide climate protest. The two organizations appeared together at numerous demonstrations and rallies as part of the “We ride together” alliance to demonstrate for better working conditions in public transport.
According to Verdi, the warning strike affected more than 70 cities in almost all federal states. Passengers had to adapt to extensive restrictions on local public transport. Only in Bavaria, Saarland and Thuringia were there no strikes on Friday. The warning strikes had already begun on Thursday in many countries. On Friday, the union expanded the industrial action again. Restrictions are still expected in some countries on Saturday.
“Visible and successful”
“We are very satisfied,” said the Verdi specialist group leader for buses and trains, Andreas Schackert, to the German Press Agency on Friday afternoon. “We were visible and successful with our strike; with a few exceptions, the industrial action went on undisturbed everywhere.” Schackert described the collaboration with FFF as a complete success. There were joint appearances and rallies all over the country. “We have traveled together in many cities and shown that it is not just a matter of a small interest group of employees fighting for their profits,” he emphasized, “but that we need attractive working conditions for reliable and attractive public transport.”
FFF activist Liv Manthey made a similar statement: “It is a political question whether the people who take us from A to B every day have good working conditions,” she said. “And it is a political question whether mobility is made possible for everyone – or not.” According to Manthey, thousands of people were drawn to the largest rally in Berlin’s Invalidenpark. Activist Luisa Neubauer and Verdi’s deputy federal chairwoman Christine Behle appeared there together.
Negotiations in 14 federal states
Verdi is currently negotiating new collective agreements with transport companies in 14 federal states. Higher fees are only involved in the federal states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The union also demanded more money in Saarland, but here both sides agreed on a deal a few days ago.
In the other federal states, however, it is primarily about better working conditions for employees. In Hamburg, for example, Verdi intends to implement the 35-hour week. In Berlin, it’s all about longer turnaround times at the end of a route, more vacation days and vacation pay. The industrial dispute ended there on Friday at 2 p.m. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) had previously canceled a negotiation date for this day.
It remains to be seen whether there will be another such large-scale warning strike in public transport soon. The fronts are not seen as hardened everywhere. There are likely to be deals in more and more federal states in the next few weeks. This means that the number of cities and districts in which Verdi can call for warning strikes is decreasing.
But the passengers are threatened with trouble elsewhere. On Thursday, the resumed collective bargaining between Deutsche Bahn and the train drivers’ union GDL was broken off prematurely. This means there is a risk of long strikes again in long-distance, regional and rail freight transport in the next few weeks.
Source: Stern
