Only Third of Germany’s Trains Running Amid Record Long Railway Strike

Only about one-third of Germany’s national trains are said to be running amid the ongoing train drivers’ strike, set to continue throughout the week and become the longest in the history of the Deutsche Bahn railway company, German media reported Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the newspaper Tagesspiegel citing Deutsche Bahn spokesman Achim Stauss, a mere 10 to 15 percent of regional trains are still running or delayed in the Berlin region, while the rest have been canceled.

The walkout of Germany’s Deutsche Bahn train drivers was organized by the GDL Train Drivers’ Union and is set to last until Saturday. Drivers of freight trains went on strike on Monday. Passenger train drivers began the strike on Tuesday.

The train drivers are demanding a five-percent pay increase and a one-hour reduction to work schedules, down from 39 to 38 hours a week.

The latest round of negotiations in an ongoing dispute between Deutsche Bahn and GDL broke down in April without any results.

Over 300,000 people work for Deutsche Bahn worldwide, including 196,000 employees in Germany.