Monday 27, March
On Monday, there were 304 new Covid-19 infections reported in Berlin. The seven-day incidence currently stands at 50.7 cases per 100,000 people.
How Monday’s nationwide mega strike will affect Berlin
Today is not a good day to be travelling in Germany, and Berlin is no exception. A huge nationwide strike organised by the Verdi trade union has shut down almost all train travel across the country and even a number of airports. There will be almost no domestic flights from BER today. Regional trains and the S-Bahn are also affected and, while the BVG is still running, there are likely to be packed trains and other disruptions caused by the spillover from these other cancellations.
While the BVG is still running, there are likely to be packed trains and other disruptions
The strike began at midnight and will continue for 24 hours. The dispute centres on a demand for increased wages from workers who have been struggling in the face of inflation, which reached 8.7% in February. Although further talks are set to begin today, the two parties are said to remain far apart in their negotiations and we could be in for another round of strikes if talks fail – though the railway and transport union (EVG) have promised that there would not be any significant disruptions over Easter.
