BERLIN: A major strike by train drivers severely disrupted Germany’s railway network on Wednesday, taking its toll on tourists at the height of the country’s summer holiday season and aggravating supply chain woes.

The industrial action, which began on Tuesday on cargo services, spread to the rest of the network on Wednesday, with only “25 percent of long distance trains” in operation, according to Deutsche Bahn.

At Berlin’s main station, the departures board was largely blank. Of the few trains shown, some were cancelled, others delayed.

“I think the strike is totally unnecessary,” said Peter Gramlich, 78, who was travelling to the western city of Bochum to visit his mother-in-law with his wife Heike, 63.

The coronavirus pandemic makes the situation worse, according to Gramlich.

“Our train will now be very full,” he said, indicating the difficulty they will have social distancing from other passengers. The strike is set to last until Friday at 2am local time.

Deutsche Bahn and the train drivers’ union GDL failed to find agreement on future wage increases, leading to the walkout after an internal union ballot.

The union is demanding a 1.4-percent pay hike and a bonus of 600 euros ($700) for 2021, and a further wage rise of 1.8 percent in 2022.

Deutsche Bahn had offered to phase in a 3.2-percent wage increase in two steps in 2022 and 2023.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2021