Union calls for public transport strike across Germany on Monday

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - A major labor union has called on municipal public transport workers across Germany to strike on Monday.

Ver.di announced that approximately 100,000 employees at around 150 municipal transport companies and bus operators will join the strike.

"Public transport employees are under significant burden due to extremely unfavorable working hours, shift work and constant time pressure," Christine Behle, deputy chairwoman of the union, said in a statement.

Ver.di is negotiating across all 16 German states, primarily with municipal transport companies and bus operators, seeking significantly better working conditions. These include shorter workweeks and shifts, longer rest periods and higher pay for night and weekend work.

"We urgently need improvements to reduce high staff turnover and attract skilled workers to public transport," Behle added.

In Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saarland and Thuringia, the union is also negotiating higher wages.

According to Ver.di, employers have rejected nearly every proposed improvement in discussions so far.