After the Easter break, fresh strike action at German airports and railways over the next two days, with the rail workers’ pay dispute and demands for better pay and working conditions for airport workers continuing unabated.

From midnight on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday workers at three major German airports, those of Dusseldorf, Bonn-Cologne and Hamburg are going on strike demanding better pay especially for overtime, night work and weekend work, according to the Ver.di union, while no agreement has yet been reached with the employer side

A total of around 80,000 passengers are expected to be affected by the strikes, while scheduled flight arrivals to Germany will not be affected. It should be noted that many Greeks living and working in Germany are also returning from the Easter holidays at these airports.

Passengers should in any case expect long delays or queues at airport counters. Compensation is provided for canceled flights, while alternative means of transport within Germany are recommended.

A way out of the wage negotiation in the railways

However, a long-time work stoppage is also expected on the German railways on Friday morning – from 3 am to 11 am, i.e. the morning peak hours – throughout Germany, both on local and long-distance trains.

Those planning to travel on German trains on Friday across Germany should also expect delays or changes to scheduled routes throughout the day.

So far, the wage dispute between the powerful rail workers’ union and Deutsche Bahn has not been resolved. The Union of Railway and Transport Workers (EVG) has been negotiating for months over pay issues for around 230,000 workers in 50 individual urban and intercity transport organisations.

Specifically, he is asking for wage increases of 12% for one year or at least 650 euros extra per month due to high inflation and the consequences of the energy crisis.