Great strike in Berlin and Brandenburg
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Passengers apparently well prepared for the warning strike – no traffic chaos
Although Berlin and Brandenburg were severely affected by the nationwide traffic warning strike, the feared chaos did not materialize on Monday. Traffic was largely back to normal by evening. It was also mostly relaxed on the streets.
- A major strike paralyzed large parts of Germany on Monday
- Long-distance traffic was discontinued, regional traffic came to a standstill
- However, buses, subways and trams ran as usual in Berlin and Brandenburg
- The S-Bahn resumed traffic in the afternoon
- Almost all domestic German connections at BER have been canceled
- A feared chaos on the streets did not materialize
After a warning strike on Monday, the Berliner S-Bahn operations resumed in parts shortly after 3 p.m. The company announced this on Twitter. However, irregularities, failures and restrictions must still be expected. Traffic was largely back to normal by evening.
From 4 a.m., the regular start of operation on the S-Bahn, the trains stood still on Monday – due to a nationwide traffic warning strike by the Verdi and EVG unions. This laid in Berlin and Brandenburg Regional and long-distance traffic largely paralyzed. In many places, the platforms remained almost empty.
Travelers were well prepared for the warning strike and used alternative means of transport such as Subway, tram and bus. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) were not directly affected by the strike. “As expected, the BVG recorded on Monday morning an increased number of passengers, the company announced in the morning. Nobody was left standing on the platform. “Only on the bus did it happen in some cases that passengers had to wait for the next trip,” it said.
On the other hand, the train said in the morning: “Since the start of operations, we have been driving regional transport also in Berlin and Brandenburg no trains more”, as a spokeswoman said. Trains were on the move again on individual regional train lines from Monday afternoon, as reported by Deutsche Bahn.
Die East German Railway Company (Odeg) reported that 14 lines would not operate until at least the afternoon because the Deutsche Bahn infrastructure would not be served due to the warning strike.
The staff of Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn AG (NEB) was not involved in the strike, but traffic on the NEB lines was affected. “There are currently only journeys on the RB35 and RB27 lines between Schönerlinde and Wensickendorf/Klosterfelde or Groß Schönebeck,” said the NEB.
Bahn: Tuesday morning “largely normal operation” again
For Tuesday morning According to its own statements, Deutsche Bahn expected one “largely normal operation”. Traffic should also start up quickly at the airports as planned, as the airport association ADV expects. Before the strike began, Deutsche Bahn had expressed the expectation that the effects of the warning strike on rail traffic would still be felt in many places on Tuesday.
waterways and ports as well as the highway company were also affected by the strike. Therefore, effects on motorway tunnels were feared. But there were no problems here either: the tunnels of the Berlin city motorway remained open as usual on Monday.
Die Traffic Information Center in Berlin (VIZ) noted no increased traffic on the streets. “Our assessment is that it has become fuller, but not nearly as strong as expected,” said the headquarters on request. The traffic jam was a little longer than usual during rush hour, but otherwise the number of cars was not particularly noticeable. “People have prepared well. Many have certainly taken advantage of the home office options.”
The ADAC reported more traffic and obstructions on the freeways, but there was no chaos. Traffic is slowing down around the conurbations, “but we don’t see a collapse or a huge chaos,” said a spokeswoman. Despite the warning strike, the Brandenburg police did not record any more traffic on the motorways and country roads.
Also the situation at BER remained clear. The airport in Schönefeld (Dahme-Spreewald) was not directly struck. Nevertheless, almost all domestic flights had to be cancelled. International flights were not affected. There were massive failures at the airports in Frankfurt am Main and Munich. A total of around 2,000 flights had to be canceled there alone.
So far no rapprochement in the third round of negotiations
The warning strike began at midnight and was expected to last 24 hours. The Verdi union and the railway and transport union (EVG) so wanted the pressure im ongoing wage conflict increase. According to the EVG, more than 30,000 employees stopped work at the railways alone.
In Potsdam on Monday, representatives of Verdi and the civil servants’ association DBB met again with the federal and municipal negotiators. However, a rapprochement between the two parties to the collective bargaining agreement was not in sight in this third round of negotiations either. As of Monday evening, there was no rapprochement, the talks were therefore interrupted. If no agreement is reached by Wednesday, further warning strikes could soon follow.
At the EVG, further negotiations with the various railway companies are pending from the middle of the week. Negotiations with Deutsche Bahn should only continue after Easter. The EVG assured at the weekend that not wanting to go on strike around the Easter holidays.
There was such a far-reaching strike in public transport as on Monday not in Germany for about 30 years given.
Around 350,000 employees were to called. The trade unions justified their actions with a lack of progress in the respective collective bargaining rounds. For the approximately 2.5 million federal and local employees nationwide, Verdi is demanding 10.5 percent more wages, but at least an increase of 500 euros per month. The EVG is negotiating for around 230,000 employees in train and bus companies and wants twelve percent more wages for them, but at least 650 euros more per month.
The offers from Deutsche Bahn and public employers are comparable and each include a total of five percent more wages and one-off payments of up to 2,500 euros in two steps.
Verdi had previously also public servants in all Administrations, building yards, cemeteries, day-care centers and libraries all-day strike called. In Berlin and Brandenburg, many daycare centers that are in the public sector therefore remained closed. Independent daycare centers were not affected.
Brandenburg students who were unable to go to school because of the strike were allowed to stay at home. However, this had to be registered with the schools beforehand. In Berlin, on the other hand, students had to come to school. The education administration pointed out that the BVG subways, buses and trams were running as usual.
In the event of such a strike, employees are also affected by the so-called travel risk. It is your legal responsibility to to be at work on time [tagesschau.de].
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, March 27, 2023, 1:20 p.m