Warning strikes in Rhineland-Palatinate: bus traffic in Kaiserslautern paralyzed!

Warning strikes in Rhineland-Palatinate: bus traffic in Kaiserslautern paralyzed!

On March 12, 2025, warning strikes in the public service caused massive restrictions in local transport in Rhineland-Palatinate. The ver.di trade union called up the employees for these actions, which has a noticeable impact, especially in the cities of Kaiserslautern and Pirmasens. In Pirmasens, the entire bus traffic of the municipal utility company, including all calls taxi traffic. In Kaiserslautern, too, all bus lines of the municipal utility company fail, including the school buses that are important for schoolchildren. The strike is part of a broader movement that has formed in different regions of Germany to demand better working conditions and wages.

In addition to the strikes, there are other current topics in Rhineland-Palatinate. The municipality of Kabs from Speyer has started to examine swamps and pools in Palatinate forests to prevent a possible snack plague in spring. In addition to these environmental initiatives, traffic disruptions and findings on traffic jams in the region were reported.

public transport strikes in North Rhine-Westphalia

In North Rhine-Westphalia, warning strikes in local public transport are also scheduled for February 21, 2025. These will affect Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf and other cities. Here ver.di called for over 35,000 employees in 30 companies. Well-known transport companies such as the Cologne Verkehrsbetriebe (KVB) and the Ruhrbahn will be affected by the measures. According to 24rhein.de This cities will lead to massive restrictions in public transport, what Commuters in particular will face major challenges. The strike follows an unsuccessful second collective bargaining round for the public service employees.

The union calls for a wage increase of 8 percent or at least 350 euros more per month, additional free days and an increase in training allowances. So far, employers have not submitted a specific offer. The third round of negotiations is scheduled for the period from March 14th to 16th, 2025, and it is unclear whether an agreement will come until then.

further developments and season

In the middle of these massive strike actions, Rhineland-Palatinate has its first nationwide warning day on March 13. This tests the federal warning systems and is accompanied by the creation of a new situation center for population protection in Koblenz. In the meantime, the weather in the region remains cool, with maximum temperatures between four and nine degrees.

The challenges of the public service not only illustrate the companies in Rhineland-Palatinate, but also the overall German conditions in the context of the collective bargaining negotiations, which affect over 2.5 million employees. The pressure on the employer is growing, especially since further strikes in various areas, from daycare centers to garbage disposal, could be added, which further heats up the situation.

In addition, a court appointment for a priest from the Westerwald is pending for sexual abuse, and there is a press conference on Ahrtal-Tourism in Düsseldorf, which illuminates challenges and future plans after the flood disaster. The events of the past few days show a complex picture of current social and political issues in the region.