German rail strike rolls on through weekend

A German train drivers' strike was affecting passenger traffic for a fourth day on Sunday, but rail operator Deutsche Bahn said it had managed to improve service for long-distance travelers, reported dpa.

Commuters and holidaymakers have suffered delays, cancellations and repeated strikes in Germany over the past month thanks to a wage dispute between state-owned Deutsche Bahn and the drivers' union GDL.

The railway said more than 9,760 employees have participated in the labour action since the strike began. Most of them are drivers, but train attendants and on-board restaurant workers have also walked off the job.

Deutsche Bahn said that every third long-distance train was running at the weekend, compared to one in four on Thursday and Friday. Eastern states and urban regional rail services were the hardest hit.

In the states of Thuringia and Saxony, it was the last travel weekend before the start of the new school year on Monday.

It is the third nationwide strike in a month and the first one to stretch across a weekend. The strike is due to end on Tuesday at 2 am (0000 GMT).

The GDL is fighting for more money and better working conditions for its members. It is asking for a 3.2-per-cent pay hike over a period of 28 months and a coronavirus bonus of 600 euros.

Deutsche Bahn has so far not agreed to the 28-month timeline.