Public-sector union Ver.di has called a 72-hour warning strike at regional operator SWEG starting Friday, 23 October, in a wage dispute covering 1,000 bus and light-rail employees. SWR Aktuell broke the story at 18:08 on 21 October after the union served formal notice. Routes in Ortenaukreis, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Lörrach and parts of the Black Forest will be affected; SWEG also runs cross-border buses into Alsace and Basel’s suburban network. The stoppage coincides with increased tourist flows for autumn half-term and could disrupt commuter links to Strasbourg and Mulhouse. Employers with staff shuttling between Freiburg, Kehl and French client sites should arrange car-pooling or remote-work options. DB Regio services are not directly involved, but previous SWEG strikes caused crowding on parallel rail lines. At issue is Ver.di’s demand for pay parity with larger municipal operators and a reduction in split shifts. SWEG, owned by Baden-Württemberg’s state holding, argues its subsidy cap leaves limited room for manoeuvre. Mediation failed last week; the union says further action is possible if no new offer emerges. Because the walk-out is a warning strike, not open-ended industrial action, federal minimum-service regulations do not apply. The strike will start at 03:00 on Friday and end Sunday night. Mobility managers should publish alternative-route lists and brief travellers on expected delays at Basel-Mulhouse Airport, where SWEG’s bus route 50 connects to Freiburg.
Source: SWR Aktuell
