The KVB already announced on Wednesday that there will be no trams and KVB buses in Cologne from 3 a.m. on Monday, 20 March, until 3 a.m. on Wednesday, 22 March. This will also affect tram lines 16 and 18, which are operated jointly by KVB and SWB. SWB also expect that there will be considerable restrictions in bus and train services on Monday (from the start of service at 3 a.m.) and Tuesday. Bus journeys operated by subcontractors are expected to take place on both days. SWB has already published special timetables for this on its website. In addition, the service points at the Central Bus Station (ZOB) and Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz in Bonn city centre as well as the service centre in Bad Godesberg are expected to remain closed on the two strike days.

The warning strike will also affect the RSVG bus routes. According to the transport company, the restrictions are expected to last from 3 a.m. on Monday morning until around 4 a.m. on Wednesday. Individual journeys, which are carried out by subcontractors, will take place. The RSVG has also published special timetables on its website.

For Tuesday, the union is also calling on public sector employees of the federal government and municipalities in the greater Cologne, Bonn and Leverkusen areas to take part in an all-day warning strike. Day-care centres, municipal hospitals and public utilities and waste management companies are also to take part. According to Verdi, the LVR clinic in Bonn and Helios in Siegburg will go on strike on Tuesday. The student unions will also strike on Tuesday.

It was not yet clear on Wednesday which of the total of 70 municipal day-care centres in Bonn might be affected by the strike on Tuesday. "Since the employees are not obliged to inform the employer in advance whether they will join the warning strike, the city administration cannot estimate the extent of the strike," explained Lea Hoffmann from the press office of the city of Bonn. "Basically, closures and emergency group arrangements must be expected." Bonnorange assumes that the restrictions on Tuesday will be kept within limits, as with the previous warning strikes. Only a few employees have gone on strike so far, he said.

According to the union, rallies are planned on both days, among others at the SWB depots in Friesdorf, Dransdorf and Beuel as well as at the RSVG depots in Sieglar and Hennef.

Already for this Friday (17 March), Verdi announced all-day warning strikes at Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports. Workers in aviation security, passenger control, personnel, goods and cargo control as well as public service workers are called to strike, Verdi NRW announced on Wednesday. Collective bargaining is currently underway for both groups of employees. Düsseldorf Airport announced that emergency operations will be maintained. Passengers, however, must expect numerous cancellations. Originally, 368 flight movements (185 take-offs and 183 landings) were planned for the day. Travellers should check with their airline or tour operator whether their flight will take place as planned.

At the end of February, one-day warning strikes at both airports had caused considerable restrictions. Hundreds of flights were cancelled as a result of the strikes. Flight operations at Cologne/Bonn Airport came to an almost complete standstill.

(Original text: Lisa Inhoffen, Sabrina Bauer and Joshua Bung; Translation: Mareike Graepel)