Saxony-Anhalt faces four-day transport strike over 35-hour workweek demand

Public Transport in Saxony-Anhalt Faces Another Week of Prolonged Strikes

Following an announcement by the ver.di trade union, municipal public transport operators in Saxony-Anhalt—including the Hallesche Verkehrs-AG (HAVAG) in Halle (Saale)—will once again be hit by extensive strikes this week, lasting from early Thursday morning until early Monday. In late February, the union had already brought public transit in the state to a standstill for up to four days.

"The burden these strikes place on passengers in Saxony-Anhalt's public transport system is unacceptable. The announced duration of up to four days is just as disproportionate as the union's demands in the ongoing wage negotiations. Ver.di has clearly lost all sense of proportion for conducting a fair and reasonable labor dispute," criticized Diana Häseler-Wallwitz, managing director of the Municipal Employers' Association of Saxony-Anhalt (Kommunaler Arbeitgeberverband Sachsen-Anhalt e. V.).

During yesterday's third round of negotiations, ver.di continued to insist on reducing the weekly working hours by three hours to 35 hours—with full wage compensation. According to the employers' association (KAV), this demand would effectively grant employees an additional 21 paid days off per year on top of their existing 30 days of annual leave. The union's proposal is unrealistic given the already strained municipal budgets, the KAV argued. Instead of continuing talks, ver.di broke off negotiations and—apparently following a nationwide strategy—called for strikes, the employers' association said.

Workers in Saxony-Anhalt's public transport sector already enjoy strong labor conditions, the KAV emphasized. During yesterday's negotiations, employers offered further improvements, including three additional days off, better rest period regulations, and increased bonuses for night and Sunday shifts. However, the union refused to engage in any meaningful discussion on these proposals, the association stated.

"We urge ver.di to return to the negotiating table and refrain from carrying out these disproportionate strikes," Häseler-Wallwitz concluded.