German Rail Strike Continues For Another Day
By Matthew Williams
22:09, November 16th 2007
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German Rail Strike Continues For Another Day

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.

 



© 2007 - 2008 - eFluxMedia
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