Anyone who traveled with the MVG in February had a rough time: For a full four days, most of the public transit system was shut down due to the work stoppage. So far in March, we have been spared another warning strike, but that is about to change. Verdi has called for another strike, meaning several Bavarian cities will be affected, including Munich.
When the warning strike will take place
The MVG went on strike three times in February, most recently for two consecutive days. It is not yet entirely clear how long we will have to expect disruptions this time. On Thursday, March 19, the Verdi union is calling on its members in several federal states to take part in a warning strike. In Munich, the strike will begin as early as Wednesday, March 18, at 11 a.m., though initial disruptions to the subway may already occur on Tuesday. This means the Champions League match at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening will also be affected.
In general, the warning strike is not intended to be limited to just this one day; others could follow. In Munich, the strike is expected to last until 4 a.m. on Friday morning. In addition to Bavaria, public transit workers in Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia will also walk off the job, and other states could follow. In Bavaria, in addition to Munich, Augsburg, Passau, Landshut, Nuremberg, Bayreuth, Bamberg, Regensburg, and Dachau are affected.
Which modes of transportation will be running?
Factory workers will begin striking as early as Tuesday, which may lead to initial disruptions on the subway. Trams and buses, however, will run as usual. On Wednesday morning, the MVG will resume normal operations to get commuters and students to their destinations. However, starting at 11 a.m., you should expect major disruptions. The S-Bahn trains are not affected by the warning strike, as they are not operated by the MVG, nor are regional trains.
The next round of negotiations will take place on Monday, March 23. Currently, neither party is making any significant concessions to the other, which is why Verdi is calling for another warning strike. This time, the call is directed primarily at employees at the depots, which is why public transportation service will largely remain operational.
