Trains and planes at a standstill, metros and buses in depots … The Germans have had to face since this Sunday evening March 26 a mega-strike, orchestrated by the unions in a context of record inflation.
With our correspondent in Berlin, Nathalie Versieux
Nearly 10% inflation over one year and wage negotiations at a standstill, in Germany the unions are on their toes. Unusually in the country, two transport-related powerhouses, Verdi and EVG, have decided to join forces to cripple the country today.
“ We expect wide participation. And we haven’t started the main course yet “, warns the president of Verdi. So gloomy prospects for users.
It is out of the question for the two unions to be content with the 5% salary increases and 1,000 to 1,500 euros in bonuses offered by the local communities and the public transport companies which refuse to revise their proposals upwards.
Union negotiators are demanding 10 to 12% wage increases in a tense climate. To the point that the Federation of German Airports accuses trade unionists of resorting to ” a strategy for escalating the conflict on the French model “, a scarecrow for the Germans for whom social conflicts in France are synonymous with almost permanent chaos.