German cashpoints left short of money due to transport strike

Some people in Germany may struggle to get money from cashpoints due to a strike in the cash-in-transit industry, according to a spokesman on Wednesday, a day before a holiday that for many marks the beginning of a long weekend, reported dpa.

Banking institutions are affected to varying degrees by the nationwide walkouts and are reacting to the strikes with different measures, the spokesman for the German Savings Banks Association, the leading trade association, told dpa in response to a query.

"In individual cases, customers may have to use other automated teller machines at their institution. However, the situation should ease again soon," he said.

Some 100,000 employees in the cash-in-transit sector are calling for better wages and conditions. The strike began on Monday and was extended by trade union Verdi. After Tuesday's industrial action, staff in some states were also called on to strike on Wednesday too.

Verdi criticized the Federal Association of German Cash and Valuables Transport Services (BDGW) for having failed to make an acceptable offer in the second round of negotiations in September.

Industry group again slams strike

The BDGW industry group reiterated its criticism of the industrial action. A strike of this magnitude, called at very short notice, was "quite unusual," a spokeswoman said.

She said it was only natural that there would be restrictions in view of the initially unforeseeable extension of the work stoppages to three days, and before a public holiday on a Thursday, when many take the Friday off to have a four-day weekend.

So far, neither banks nor member companies have reported any widespread bottlenecks. However, individual ATMs in city centres that are not supplied with cash for three days may "run out at some point," she said.

Banking industry says retail outlets are cash sources

Customers can also make card payments at retail outlets, restaurants or petrol stations and can often also withdraw cash at many of these outlets too, the banking industry said.

Meanwhile, savings banks are prepared for the strikes and are taking measures to ensure that cash continues to be supplied as best as possible, they said.

When asked, the Rewe Group, which runs supermarkets, said there has not yet been a significant increase in people withdrawing cash while making card payments at store checkouts.