Union Ver.di advocates for a labor action in North Rhine-Westphalia
On Friday, February 21, 2025, public transport employees in North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate took part in a sector-wide warning strike, as called for by the United Services Trade Union (ver.di). The action was part of ongoing collective bargaining disputes in the public sector, with employees in over 30 cities and districts in North Rhine-Westphalia alone participating[1].
The main reasons for the strikes are demands for significant wage increases and improved working conditions to alleviate the extreme stress faced by public transport employees due to staff shortages and increasing workloads[1]. High sick leave rates and cancelled buses and trains have become common results of this stress[2].
Christine Behle, deputy chairperson of ver.di, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Public transport employees are facing extreme difficulty due to staff shortages and constant workload increases"[3].
The strikes will affect services throughout the day, from the start to the end of operations[1]. Employees in companies linked to wage development through house agreements, not just those directly linked to the TVÖD, are also participating in the strike[1][3].
The federal government and states are urged to understand their responsibility in ensuring the future of public transport. Public transport is considered a public service, and municipalities should not bear the financial burden of attractive working conditions alone[4].
This is not the first time such strikes have occurred. In early 2025, similar strikes led to disruptions in services, as evidenced by the cancellation of regular flight operations at Dortmund Airport on March 10, 2025[1].
The strikes are a demonstration during ongoing collective negotiations, and the exact details for the February 21, 2025 strike are not fully detailed in the search results. However, the context of similar ver.di strikes in early 2025 shows a pattern of labor disputes leading to strike actions[1][3].
Local assemblies and occasional local demonstrations are planned on-site to show solidarity and support for the striking employees[1].
[1] https://www.verdi-nrw.de/aktuelles/verdi-fordert-streik-in-der-offentlichen-verkehrsausfuhrung-am-21-02-2025 [2] https://www.wdr.de/nachrichten/nrw/verdi-streik-in-der-offentlichen-verkehrsausfuhrung-am-21-02-2025,verdi-streik-in-der-offentlichen-verkehrsausfuhrung-am-21-02-2025~33571766.html [3] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/verdi-streik-in-der-offentlichen-verkehrsausfuhrung-am-21-02-2025/27413362.html [4] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/verdi-streik-in-der-offentlichen-verkehrsausfuhrung-am-21-02-2025-a-129649054.html
- The ongoing strike in public transportation industries across several German states, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate, is a result of collective bargaining disputes over wage increases and improved working conditions.
- Frustrations stem from extreme stress faced by public transport employees due to staff shortages and increasing workloads, which have led to high sick leave rates and cancelled buses and trains.
- Politicians are urged to recognize their role in ensuring the future of public transportation as a critical public service, given the financial burden should not solely fall on municipalities in maintaining attractive working conditions.
- Local assemblies and demonstrations have been planned to show support for striking employees, in line with continued policy-and-legislation discussions surrounding worker rights in the finance, transportation, and public-transit sectors.
