Large parts of German train traffic paralyzed Israel reportedly proposes a ceasefire – the night update

There are almost no trains running through Germany anymore. The fourth industrial action by the drivers’ union GDL has halted large parts of long-distance and regional transport since this morning. In the meantime, the union is specifying some of its demands for the railways.

A six-day strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) is paralyzing large parts of train traffic in Germany. The strike started on Tuesday evening in freight transport and early on Wednesday morning in Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance and regional transport.

The emergency timetable for passenger transport got off to a stable start on Wednesday night, a railway spokeswoman said in the morning at Berlin’s main station. As with previous strikes, around 80 percent of long-distance trains are canceled, according to Deutsche Bahn. There are also significant restrictions in regional transport, the spokeswoman said.

There are also significant restrictions in the field of freight transport. “European freight traffic across the Alps, Poland or to Scandinavia, as well as seaports in the Netherlands or Belgium, are also affected,” said the railroad. Even before the strike, there had been a significant drop in volume because many customers had canceled transport.

Companies are threatened with severe restrictions, including individual production interruptions, cutbacks and industry standstills, Tanja Gönner, managing director of the Federal Association of German Industry, told the German News Agency in Berlin.

Longest fare dispute in Deutsche Bahn history

The railway strike will last until 6pm on Monday evening. GDL’s fourth labor dispute in the ongoing collective labor dispute with the federal company is “the longest in the history of Deutsche Bahn,” the spokeswoman said. The running time should be 136 hours for passenger traffic and 144 hours for freight traffic. For the first time in the current conflict, the strike also covers an entire weekend.

The GDL has called for several strike meetings in the coming days, which the union management is also expected to attend. Demonstrations will take place on Thursday in Stuttgart, where GDL boss Claus Weselsky is expected, but also in Nuremberg, Hamburg, Erfurt and Halle/Saale. Actions are planned for Friday in Berlin and Dortmund, among others.

In a letter to the railroads on Wednesday, the GDL updated its fare requirements and specified some of them. For example, a specific timetable is proposed for the required reduction in weekly working hours for shift workers from 38 to 35 hours without financial losses by 2028. It is the union’s main demand and the sticking point in the collective bargaining dispute. (saw/sda/dpa)