The strike is set to take place on Wednesday, March 19th, and Thursday, March 20th and bring much of the city’s U-Bahn, tram, and bus network to a standstill.
The latest round of industrial action is part of Verdi’s ongoing wage dispute with the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), which operates public transport in the capital. Announced on Friday afternoon, it comes just ahead of the next round of negotiations scheduled for March 21st.
Though BVG has repeatedly made improved offers to the union, Verdi slammed the latest proposals as “completely inadequate” and said they fail to address the rising cost of living.
“The current offer does not adequately honour the hard work of our employees,” said Verdi chief negotiator Jeremy Arndt. He urged the transport operator to present a “significantly improved offer” during the upcoming talks.
Meanwhile, BVG has described the union’s demands as financially unfeasible and called on Verdi to compromise.
READ ALSO: Will Germany see unlimited strikes in the public sector?
“We have made significant concessions to Verdi in four seperate stages,” BVG personnel director Jenny Zeller-Grothe told RBB on Friday. “Now it is Verdi’s turn to put a compromise proposal on the table instead of clinging to maximum demands.”
The services union is demanding pay increases of at least €750 per month with a contract duration of 12 months, as well as higher allowances for certain types of shift.
In its latest counter-offer, BVG offered €240 more per month this year, with an additional increase of €135 per month next year – a pay rise of over 13 percent.
Advertisement
Next week’s strike is expected to cause major disruptions for Berlin’s commuters, with U-Bahn stations likely to remain closed and buses and trams staying off the roads. It will begin and end with the start of operations on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Travellers are advised to seek alternative transportation options or work from home if possible.
S-Bahn and rail servies, which are run by Deutsche Bahn, will operate as normal during the strike.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
