German train drivers go on strike for 6 days, bringing railway traffic to a near-standstill – again

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s train drivers have brought rail traffic to a standstill again when they began a six-day strike to push their demands in a rancorous dispute with the country’s main railway operator over working hours and pay. The strike by the GDL union, which began early Wednesday, will affect passenger services and freight trains operated by state-owned Deutsche Bahn until 6 p.m. on Monday. The union held a three-day strike earlier this month and two warning strikes last year which lasted up to 24 hours. As with the previous strikes, around 80% of long-distance trains were canceled and there were also considerable restrictions on regional services, according to Deutsche Bahn.