At midnight the last train stopped at the station. Suddenly, desperate schoolchildren, commuters and hundreds of thousands of others who depend on trains across Austria were in a lost position. Especially since all signals were red for cross-border train traffic.
The only reassuring news: in the middle of a lonely stretch of road, no one was stranded on Monday evening. The trains in question remained in the stations on Sunday or ran as short trains. Shortly before the negotiations broke down, top trade unionists like Roman Hebenstreit shrugged when asked about this chaos.
10,000 tons more emissions from cars
In addition to individual fate, the environment is also left out. Experts feared that daily emissions from 36,000 tons of cars across Austria would increase by at least 10,000 tons today as many commuters have to use their cars. VCÖ spokesman Gratzer hoped for “a lot of working from home and carpooling”.
One of the few positives: Tens of thousands of students who fail class today are excused. For those who had to go to Vienna Airport, breathe a sigh of relief: the City Airport Train (CAT) runs to Schwechat as a rail replacement service. Keyword passenger rights or tickets: They are valid until December 5 and refunds are also possible.
One-time payment is coming
On Sunday, however, the strikers (they must not be fired) were surprised by a human gesture. Because in December the actual wage will be voluntarily increased by 7.5 percent (but at least 200 euros). There is also a 500 markup bonus for everyone. ÖBB boss Matthä: “Because of the huge inflation and before Christmas, it is important for us that our people have more money in their pockets.”
ÖBB provides information on questions related to the strike on the website oebb.at/streik and in the “Scotty” route planner.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
