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Germany’s
rail strike extended for another day as commuters and freight transports were
left stranded on Friday and the steel industry of the country was forced to
slow production.
The government wanted to press on with the talks and put an
end to the strike that triggered almost 5,300 train drivers to leave their
jobs. Also analysts are saying that if the transports don’t reach in time their
destination could cause a blow to Europe's biggest
economy, AFP reports.
On Friday morning commuters were tying to get to work
causing major traffic jams.
In major cities like Berlin
or Frankfurt, only 30 percent of the trains were
running. To be noticed that Germany
has five million rail commuters.
According to Norbert Bensel, Deutsche Bahn's logistics
chief, the strike triggered a "dramatic situation" in the former
communist east. GDL drivers’ union is mostly represented there and called for a
strike after a three-month dispute.
Twenty percent of the regional trains in the eastern states
were running on Friday morning while in the west the percentage was up to
fifty.
The strike could end on Saturday at 0100 GMT. Still, if
Deutsche Bahn doesn’t improve its offer of salary increase with 10 percent by
Monday, GDL said that it could take another decision regarding the labor
action, and that it could go on with the strike until Christmas.
GDL deputy leader Claus Weselsky said "The membership
is pressing for unlimited strikes.”
A spokeswoman in Hamburg,
Europe's second biggest port, said: "We are
confident that we will survive till the end of the strike,” referring to the
fright transport.
The steel industry, the biggest freight transport client of
Deutsche Bahn, was forced to "cut production in some areas but is not
faring too badly”, according to Beate Brueninghaus, a spokeswoman for the Steel
Producers' Federation.
On Friday morning 6,000 shifts on the freight rail system
were not made since the strike started. Deutsche Bahn said that the strike was
costing it 50 million euros (73 million dollars) a day.
Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee called the rail operator
in order to hold talks, but he ruled out any political intervention.
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