Thursday 29, February
BVG warning strike shuts down most of Berlin’s transport
Much of the city’s public transport has been brought to a standstill as BVG employees go on strike, according to reports from rbb.
The strike, which officially began at 3am on Thursday and will run until 2pm on Friday, was called by the Verdi union. Almost all local transport services have been shut down, with the operation of BVG buses, trams and U-Bahn trains halted.
The S-Bahn as well as regional and long-distance trains remain in service. On Wednesday, the Berlin S-Bahn announced on X that they would like to provide a higher frequency of trains on Thursday and Friday to help alleviate the strain on commuters.
The Verdi union is eager to put more pressure on the BVG in the ongoing collective bargaining disputed over better working conditions. One major sticking point in the negotiations is the demand for longer breaks for drivers once the vehicles reach their final stop before having to turn back and retrace the route. The union is also demanding holiday pay and more vacation days for workers.
