Andy Kranz and Stefan Nitschke
COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) – Germany faced strikes on several fronts on Thursday as train drivers and airport workers walked off the job, causing chaos for millions of travelers and deepening the country’s economic woes during a looming recession.
The strikes are the latest in a wave of industrial action sweeping Germany, where high inflation and labor shortages have soured wage negotiations in key parts of the transport sector, including the national railways, airlines and public transport.
The industry warned of the costs of such strikes after Europe’s largest economy contracted 0.3% in 2023 and the government warned of a weaker-than-expected recovery.
A one-day nationwide rail strike costs the economy about 100 million euros ($107 million), Michael Grömling, head of economics at IW Koeln, told Reuters during the last GDL strike in late January.
Train drivers began a fifth round of strikes in a long-running dispute at 2am (0100 GMT) after a strike in the freight department began on Wednesday evening.
Lufthansa ground staff and security staff at some airports were also on strike. These included Germany’s busiest hub Frankfurt, where operator Fraport said 650 of 1,750 flights scheduled for Thursday had been cancelled.
The train drivers’ strike, which will last until noon on Friday, marks the start of a series of strikes planned by the GDL as it pushes for shorter working hours with full pay.
“The motivation is very high to fulfill the conditions that we have set as members of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,” said train driver Philipp Grams at a picket in Cologne.
Only one of the five long-distance trains is running, but passengers have shown some understanding, rail operator Deutsche Bahn said.
“I don’t really like it, but if it makes a difference, if people want to change something, why not?” – said Katerina Stepanenko, standing on the platform of the main station of Cologne.
Deutsche Bahn accused the union of refusing to compromise.
“The other side does not deviate a millimeter from its maximum position,” said spokesman Achim Stauss.
However, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said he had lost sympathy with the strikers.
“It should be possible to find a solution and not promote your interests so radically at the expense of other people; I don’t think it’s right anymore,” he told broadcaster RTL/ntv.
Airport association ADV, meanwhile, warned that Thursday’s aviation strikes in Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt were damaging Germany’s reputation as a business and tourism hub.
Lufthansa ground staff began a two-day strike on Thursday and further trouble was brewing for the German flag carrier after cabin crew voted to strike on Wednesday and the UFO union assessed next steps.
Reporting its annual results, Lufthansa warned that the strikes were a factor that would lead to higher-than-expected operating losses in the first three months of 2024.