The mass strike that has been called in the transport sector for tomorrow to demand higher wages amid high inflation is a “matter of survival”, said the head of the German trade union Verdi, in an interview published today in the newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

The strike, Germany’s biggest in decades, is expected to hit rail and air transport in Europe’s biggest economy.

The strike mobilization already started today at the Munich airport, where many flight cancellations are recorded. The administrator of the German railway transport, the Deutsche Bahn condemned the strike action and called on the union to return to the negotiating table.

“People are not just underpaid, they are hopelessly exhausted,” says Mr Frank Werneckehead of the union Verdi .

The strike will begin just after midnight and will affect transport throughout tomorrow.

The Verdi union represents around 2.5 million public sector workers, including transport and airport workers. The EVG union represents around 230,000 employees at Deutsche Bahn and bus companies.

The Verdi union is asking for a 10.5% wage increase, which translates to at least €500 more per month, and EVG is asking for a 12% increase, which translates to at least €650 more per month.

“The strike is necessary to make it clear to the employers that we will strongly insist on our demands”, states Frank Wernecke in his interview.

“It’s a matter of survival for many thousands of workers to get a significant pay rise,” says Verdi’s chief, as consumer prices rose 9.3% in February compared to last year.

Deutsche Bahn said today that the strike is “completely excessive, unfounded and unnecessary”.