Train drivers will halt German railways

German railway operator, Deutsche Bahn has announced refunds and alternative schedules for rail passangers. The GDL union will lead the largest strike in years affecting cargo and passenger connections within Germany. The strike will last from Wednesday until Monday. Commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall are bound to be affected by the strike, as many visitors to Berlin were planning to come by rail. “At a moment when people want to celebrate the fall of the wall, GDL wants to paralyze transportation with the longest strike in the history of rail,” said DB board member Ulrich Weber, as reported by TVN24bis.pl. Among other things, the train drivers are asking for a 5 percent salary increase and the shortening of the work week by two hours.