German public transport has been paralyzed by a wave of warning strikes organized by the Verdi trade union. The protests have affected key federal states, including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Workers are demanding a reduction of the work week to 35 hours and improvements in pay conditions. In Leipzig, the protest was extended until Sunday, while in Wiesbaden, tense negotiations for the public sector in Hesse began, accompanied by loud demonstrations featuring chainsaws.
Demand for a 35-hour work week
The Verdi union is demanding a reduction in working hours for public transport personnel to improve living conditions.
Transport paralysis in regions
Major disruptions occurred in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Saxony-Anhalt.
Tense negotiations in Hesse
In Wiesbaden, wage talks for the public sector began accompanied by loud demonstrations from union members.
Germany's transport infrastructure is grappling with massive disruptions resulting from a coordinated protest action by the Verdi trade union. The warning strikes, which began early Friday morning, have affected a wide swath of northern and eastern Germany, paralyzing bus and tram traffic in metropolitan areas like Hamburg and Leipzig. In the latter city, the situation is particularly difficult as the action has been officially extended until Sunday, which will drastically impact residents' mobility over the coming weekend. Union representatives are putting forward tough demands, chief among them the introduction of a 35-hour work week without a reduction in pay, which is intended as a response to increasing staff workload and personnel shortages in the industry. The situation in public transport is, however, just one element of broader tensions between workers and employers in Germany. In Wiesbaden, crucial collective bargaining negotiations for public sector workers in the federal state of Hesse have simultaneously begun. The talks were accompanied by an extremely loud and spectacular protest—demonstrators used trumpets, whistles, and even chainsaws to emphasize the desperation and determination of employees. The atmosphere outside the negotiation building was so tense that media described the start of the talks as a „whistle concert”. Representatives of the Verdi union emphasize that without significant financial and structural concessions, further waves of protests will be inevitable, threatening prolonged transport chaos across the country. The practice of warning strikes in Germany stems from the tradition of social partnership, in which short work stoppages serve as a demonstration of strength ahead of key rounds of wage negotiations. This system, shaped after World War II, aims to avoid total economic blockades through gradual escalation of pressure. Meanwhile, the employers' side, represented among others by the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), expresses regret over the scale of the protests. These organizations appeal for consideration of the „financial limits of the industry,” arguing that a radical reduction in working hours coupled with wage increases could lead to insolvency for smaller transport operators or necessitate drastic ticket price hikes. This conflict highlights a structural problem in the German labor market, where high inflation in recent years has collided with the demand for improving work-life balance. Currently, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, suggesting that passengers must prepare for further inconveniences in the coming weeks. „Finanzielle Grenzen der Branche berücksichtigen” (Consider the financial limits of the industry) — VDV Representative
Perspektywy mediów: Emphasizes worker exhaustion and the necessity of work-time reform to save the industry. Highlights economic threats to operator stability and costs for passengers.