South-west German regional operator SWEG has confirmed that a three-day warning strike called by union Verdi will bring large parts of its rail and bus network to a standstill from Wednesday, 30 September, through Friday, 2 October. Announced on 28 September, the walk-out will, for the first time, also affect SWEG Schienenwege GmbH’s dispatching centres in Endingen and Gammertingen, meaning no trains on lines such as Bad Krozingen–Münstertal, Achern–Ottenhöfen and Hechingen–Gammertingen. Bus depots in Weil am Rhein, Müllheim, Emmendingen, Lahr, Offenburg, Kehl, Wiesloch and other locations will join the stoppage, knocking out school-bus services and causing severe gaps in rural timetables. SWEG says substitute transport is impossible because strike participants include the dispatchers who update digital passenger-information systems; real-time apps will therefore display incorrect data. Verdi is pressuring employers over an expired rail-industry wage agreement and over job-security provisions in the bus division after recent tender losses. SWEG’s management called the action “disproportionate” and claims fewer than 100 drivers are at risk, not the 500 cited by the union. For mobility managers, the timing is awkward: the strike coincides with autumn-holiday getaway traffic and the start of several regional trade fairs. Companies with staff based in Baden-Württemberg or the Black Forest should arrange car-pooling, approve taxi use or allow remote work on affected days. Long-distance Deutsche Bahn services are not directly involved but may see higher load factors as passengers re-route; advance seat reservations are advisable. Under EU Regulation 1371/2007, business travellers holding SWEG tickets may claim refunds for cancellations, but there is no statutory duty to provide alternative transport. Travel-risk teams should monitor SWEG’s website and local media for late changes if Verdi and the employers’ federation reach a last-minute settlement.
Source: SWEG
