The Verdi union is demanding more pay for drivers in local public transport. Buses, trams and metros will therefore come to a standstill in 80 German cities on Friday. In this struggle they have found special supporters: the climate activists of Fridays for Future support the protests.
The climate movement is actually committed to climate-friendly mobility – but the young activists like the fact that there are no public buses in dozens of German cities. Members of Fridays for Future struck together with bus and train drivers in many cities.
Coffee and cake for the pickets
“Of course there are big differences between the groups,” explains Green Youth spokeswoman Svenja Appuhn, who also supports the protests. Many public transport drivers initially had “many reservations about the climate movement. But because the activists showed up again and again and showed that they mean business, trust was built,” the spokeswoman said. The climate activists want to provide pickets with coffee and pastries and actively draw attention to the demonstrators’ demands for better working conditions.
“Bus drivers are climate savers”
Public transport employees should certainly benefit from the activists. “Most people at Fridays for Future are between 15 and 25 years old, many go to school or study and most have a lot of activist experience,” says Appuhn. The bus drivers, on the other hand, would have a very different life experience and of course a very different daily life. “Bus drivers are climate savers,” says Appuhn, explaining the purpose of the movement.
Local public transport employees are not only demanding higher wages, but also because of basic working conditions. According to Verdi, collective negotiations are underway with more than a hundred municipal companies. Employment conditions are being renegotiated in 15 states and with two transport companies in Hamburg.
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.
