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Berlin to see two-day public transport strike from Wednesday

Berlin is set to see a 48-hour transportation strike on Wednesday, March 19th, and Thursday, March 20th -- bringing much of the city's U-Bahn, tram, and bus traffic to a standstill. The latest strike is part of Verdi's ongoing wage dispute with the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), which operates public transport in the capital. Announced on Friday afternoon, it comes just ahead of the next round of BVG-union negotiations scheduled for March 21st. BVG has made offers to the union, but Verdi slammed the latest proposals as "completely inadequate" and said they fail to address the rising cost of living. 'The current offer does not adequately honour the hard work of our employees,' said Verdi chief negotiator Jeremy Arndt. He urged the transport operator to present a 'significantly improved offer' during the upcoming talks. Meanwhile, BVG has described the union's demands as financially unfeasible and called on Verdi to compromise. READ ALSO: 'No family life' - A Berlin bus driver explains why public transport workers are striking "We have made significant concessions to Verdi in four separate stages," BVG personnel director Jenny Zeller-Grothe told RBB on Friday. "Now it is Verdi's turn to put a compromise proposal on the table instead of clinging to maximum demands." The services union is demanding pay increases of at least €750 per month with a contract duration of 12 months, as well as higher allowances for certain types of shift. In its latest counter-offer, BVG offered €240 more per month this year, with an additional increase of €135 per month next year - a pay rise of over 13 percent. Advertisement This week's strike is expected to cause major disruptions for Berlin's commuters, with U-Bahn stations likely to remain closed and buses and trams staying off the roads. It will begin and end with the start of operations on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Travellers are advised to seek alternative transportation options or work from home if possible. S-Bahn and rail services, which are run by Deutsche Bahn, will operate as normal during the strike.