News / One-day strike hits German transport network

As a one-day strike has brought much of the German transport network to a halt, employers have hit out at unions saying they should return to the negotiating table.

Railways, ports and airports are reportedly affected by the strike by members of the ver.di and EVG unions, representing around 2.7m workers across Germany, which the unions have called “a warning”.

The Federal Association of Freight Transport and Logistics (BGL) warned of supply chaos as a result of the strike and BLG president Dirk Engelhardt said the unions had acted “against the will of millions of German citizens”.

While Steffen Kampeter, CEO of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, added: “Anyone who acts like this is acting disproportionately and jeopardises acceptance of the right to strike”.

However, chairman of ver.di Frank Werneke told Phoenix TV: “A labour dispute that has no effect is a toothless labour dispute.”