Wednesday, March 26
Strike out: BVG at a standstill for another 48 hours
Restaurant reservations cancelled, schools and Kitas closed, office workers stuck at home, more traffic on the roads, and essential workers like hospital staff struggling to reach clinics—when the city’s public transport system shuts down, a whole range of disruptions follows. That is the reality Berliners face today as BVG workers walk out for the fifth time this year amid ongoing wage disputes between the public transport company and the Verdi union.
The strike will last 48 hours, starting at 03:00 on Wednesday and running until 03:00 on Friday. All underground and tram services, as well as most buses, will be cancelled. The BVG provides an overview of operational routes on its website. As always, the S-Bahn is unaffected, as it is operated not by the BVG but by Deutsche Bahn.
But why is the dispute taking so long to resolve? The central issue is pay. The Verdi union is demanding a €750 increase per month for all employees, additional allowances for driving duties, and a 13th month’s salary, while the BVG is offering only a 13.6% pay rise.
Despite the disruptions so far this year, things could get worse. Each of the five strikes Berliners have faced has been a so-called “warning strike”—a short, temporary work stoppage used to pressure an employer during negotiations. If no agreement is reached, however, the union may escalate to an “indefinite strike” to force the employer to meet workers’ demands.
