The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) and the Verdi union have called for extensive nationwide warning strikes in the transport sector on Monday, 27 March.

The 24-hour strike will begin at midnight on Sunday and affect ports, rail, buses, trams, airports and highway tunnels.

According to Verdi, the strike will have severe consequences for shipping, impacting a number of locks on important waterways. Large ships will not be able to call at the port of Hamburg, said the union. In addition, there will be a significant delay in the loading of ships.

Monday’s protest follows a 36-hour strike at the port this week. Pilot tenders joined public sector strikes on Wednesday, bringing the movement of large vessels to a complete standstill until 6 am this morning.

Germany’s national railway company, the Deutsche Bahn, has communicated that it also expects massive disruptions to its rail operations. In addition, tunnels on major highways would be closed to traffic. Although it is unclear which tunnels will be affected, the union said the Elbe Tunnel, a major link between the port and the north of the country, will be closed. Foreseeing “supply chaos” on Monday, the Federal Association of Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal (BGL) has requested the ban on Sunday truck driving to be lifted, reported the DVZ.

According to Verdi, it called for a major strike across the sector after failing to receive a sufficient offer for 2.5 million employees of the federal and local governments and for the employees of Deutsche Bahn AG companies at the collective bargaining negotiations. Bargaining talks begin again next week.