German Rail Union Threatens World Cup Strike Over Bahn Plans
January 19, 2006
"We don't want to but if necessary we will strike during the World Cup," Klaus-Dieter Hommel, the head of one of two unions representing German railway workers, was quoted as saying in the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Wednesday.
Wolfgang Tiefensee, Germany's transport minister, said that the government would consider splitting Deutsche Bahn into two firms, one operating tracks and the other operating trains, as part of steps preparing the company for a stock market listing. A decision would be made later in the year.
Deutsche Bahn plans to run extra services during the World Cup in June and July and is offering special Weltmeister (world champion) tariffs based on the years Germany won the World Cup. The ticket prices will be 54, 74 and 90 euros for selected routes and packages linking locations around Germany with the host cities.