Germany's Longest Train Strike , Brings the Country to a Halt.<br />'The Guardian' reports that much of <br />Germany came to a halt on January 23, <br />as train operators began a planned six-day strike.<br />The strike, which will reportedly impact both <br />passenger trains and freight trains, is occurring <br />amid recent tension and unrest across the country.<br />The strike, which will reportedly impact both <br />passenger trains and freight trains, is occurring <br />amid recent tension and unrest across the country.<br />Farmers have blocked thoroughfares <br />with tractors in protest of government <br />proposals to end subsidies for fuel. .<br />At the same time, about one million people <br />have taken to the streets to protest revelations of <br />far right efforts to conduct a mass expulsion of foreigners.<br />The six-day train operator strike is estimated <br />to cost Germany millions of euros per day.<br />The GDL train operators' union has <br />called for workers' weekly hours to be <br />cut from 38 to 35 with no reduction in pay. .<br />Deutsche Bahn (DB), the national rail operator, <br />has offered workers an average 4.8% wage increase <br />beginning in August, and another 5% in spring of 2025.<br />In addition, DB said it would give workers <br />an inflation compensation package to be <br />paid out over a fixed period of 32 months.<br />In addition, DB said it would give workers <br />an inflation compensation package to be <br />paid out over a fixed period of 32 months.<br />However, DB has said that further cuts <br />to employees' working hours would deepen <br />an already considerable staff shortage.<br />'The Guardian' reports that DB is already under strain <br />due to consistently poor reliability stemming from long-term <br />underfunding and an ongoing labor shortage
