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German train company seeks injunction to end drivers’ strike


Traveller walk on an empty station platform at the main station in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. A nationwide, five-day train strike has brought big parts of the German railway and commuter system to a standstill. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

BERLIN (AP) — German train company Deutsche Bahn sought an emergency injunction Thursday to stop a strike by some train drivers that has disrupted rail traffic in the country for a third time this summer.

Deutsche Bahn said it considers the latest strike by the GDL labor union to be illegal. The company noted that it has increased its offer in negotiations with the union and is now offering a one-time “coronavirus bonus” of up to 600 euros ($700) to members.

The strike, which began with freight trains Wednesday and was extended to passenger trains Thursday, is due to last until Sept. 7.

If it continues it will affect many travelers returning from summer vacation in two German states