Overview
- Ver.di has called nationwide warning strikes for Friday and in many areas Saturday, with most municipal buses, trams and metros expected to stay in depots from the first early shift to the last late shift.
- Long‑distance trains and most regional and S‑Bahn services operated by Deutsche Bahn are not part of the action and are expected to run, though higher passenger loads are likely.
- Participation varies by state, with Lower Saxony excluded due to a peace obligation, Berlin’s BVG planning a 48‑hour stoppage of buses and trams, Hamburg operators preparing actions through Sunday, Saarland joining, and authorities in Thuringia warning of widespread outages.
- In North Rhine‑Westphalia alone, more than 30 municipal operators with about 30,000 employees are covered by the strike call, reflecting the broad scope of the walkouts.
- The union seeks a cut to a 37‑hour workweek, longer rest between shifts and higher Sunday premiums, while employers cite tight finances; ADAC forecasts heavy traffic and Bavarian retailers estimate roughly €40 million in lost sales over the two days.