Berlin (CNN) Nationwide strikes in Germany – among the worst in decades – are causing a massive crash Disruptions at the country’s airports, on public transportation and at their largest Monday port.
Two major transport unions in Europe’s largest economy have called for the strikes.
Ver.di, one of the unions, demanded a 10.5% increase in the salaries of its members, citing rising energy and food costs. More than 400,000 transport workers are taking part in the industrial strike, according to Verdi president Frank Wernke.
Flights at eight major airports, including those in Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg, were affected by the strikes. The German Airports Association estimated that around 380,000 passengers will not be able to take off on Monday.
Some hubs such as Munich Airport have closed completely, with 200,000 passengers affected by the two-day airport closures that began on Sunday.
A man stands in an empty terminal at Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich, southern Germany, during an early strike on March 26, 2023.
Long-distance rail services scheduled for Monday are suspended across Germany, as are regional and early morning rail services.
German rail company Deutsche Bahn said the “giant blow” was crippling the country.
“This excessive and excessive strike is suffering millions of commuters who depend on buses and trains. Not everyone can work from their home office,” spokesman Achim Strauss said in a statement.
In Munich, local transport company MVV announced the suspension of almost all railways, underground and trams, and said it expected to run only half of its scheduled bus services.
Protesters demonstrate in Hamburg, Germany, during the national strikes on March 27, 2023.
Hamburg, Germany’s largest port, was also hit, with large ships unable to call in or depart from the port.
last German employers have also criticized the strikes. Karen Wielg, spokesperson VKA, a group representing employers in the public sector, She described it as an “unjustified escalation”.
“I have rarely seen a country’s population affected in this way,” said Welge.
However, the Germans in general widely support the strikes. In a recent YouGov survey, around 55% of respondents considered strikes announced by the two transport unions to be “justified” or “complete”. About 38% said the industrial strike was “rather not” or “not at all justified”, while 8% did not answer the question.
Niamh Kennedy, Olesya Dmitrakova, Sophie Tanno, and Nadine Schmidt contributed to this report.
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