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Buses Halted, Rural Regions Affected: Verdi's Warning Strike Disrupts Public Transport in Saxony-Anhalt
Rural regions halt, as bus services grind to a standstill due to the ongoing strike - Rural areas faced disruption as bus services came to a standstill due to a work stoppage warning.
Here's the skinny on what's causing all the ruckus:
In numerous parts of Saxony-Anhalt, local bus services have ground to a crawl, thanks to a full-day warning strike by the union Verdi. This strike is part of an ongoing wage dispute with several regional transport companies. The areas hit hardest? Tiny, off-the-beaten-path places like Salzland district, the Harz, Altmark, and Jerichower Land.
The grumble-grumble comes from Verdi over the employers' offer, which falls far short of their demands according to the union. Verdi is calling for a raise of between 8-14% annually, depending on employment duration, along with a monthly bonus of 50 Euros for union members over twelve months. Meanwhile, the employers are offering a maximum of 2.3% yearly over three years with no special provisions for union members.
Who's in on this strike? The Lindenberg transport company, Harz transport company, Halberstadt transport company, and passenger transport companies in Burg, Genthin, Salzland district, and Altmark – except for Magdeburg, Halle, Dessau, and Burgenland district, which has a separate wage agreement.
Now, here's where things get a tad twisty: the Association of Public Transport (AVN) doesn't see the need for a warning strike as things stand. According to them, the first round of negotiations was conducted in a civilized manner, and another meeting has already been scheduled for June 10th. The AVN's negotiator, Uwe Gaßmann, says, "We know that an initial offer ain't the final deal." They also hint that the wage negotiation environment is as tough as old leather.
Community policy should address the impact of the Verdi warning strike on vocational training opportunities in rural regions affected by disrupted public-transit, such as Salzland district and Jerichower Land. Consideration of industry finance may be necessary to ensure continuity of vocational training programs during transportation disruptions.
