(de-news.net) – Across most of Germany, local public transportation services have resumed normal operations after a two-day wave of warning strikes temporarily disrupted transit networks. In the capital, service recommenced at approximately 3:00 a.m., signaling a return to regular scheduling at the start of the operating day. Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, which manages the city’s bus, tram, and subway systems, reported that services were being reinstated in a phased and orderly manner consistent with prior planning. By the conclusion of the restart process, no strike-related limitations remained in effect, and the network was operating without residual disruptions.

The work stoppage had been initiated by the union Verdi and began in the early hours of Friday, extending through Saturday night in many regions. Its scope was considerable: approximately 150 transportation companies and an estimated 100,000 employees were involved. As a result, municipal buses and rail services in numerous urban areas were suspended for much of Friday, with certain bargaining districts experiencing prolonged interruptions. In most regions, the strike represented the second such warning action in the current collective bargaining round, following a nearly nationwide 24-hour shutdown in early February that had already underscored the breadth of the dispute. Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony were excluded from the most recent walkout. In the former, additional warning strikes are anticipated in the coming week, whereas in the latter a statutory peace obligation—precluding industrial action—remains in force through the end of March.

Collective bargaining is under way in all 16 federal states, typically conducted with associations representing municipal employers. Within this framework, Verdi is pressing for structural improvements in working conditions, including reductions in standard weekly hours and shift durations, the extension of mandated rest periods, and enhanced financial premiums for night and weekend work. In addition to these qualitative adjustments, compensation levels are also under negotiation in several jurisdictions—among them Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saarland, and Thuringia—as well as at Hamburg’s municipal rail operator. The union has indicated that, despite multiple rounds of talks in certain areas, tangible progress has been limited. Consequently, the broader labor dispute remains unresolved, and the prospect of further warning strikes continues to shape the trajectory of the negotiations.