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Ver.di Strikes Shut Key Tunnels and Bridges as Germany’s Road Network Faces Targeted Disruptions

Safety staffing requirements trigger closures when control rooms cannot be manned.

Overview

  • In North Rhine-Westphalia, 11 long road tunnels are slated to close from Tuesday 16:00 to Wednesday 16:00 due to a strike at the Leverkusen tunnel control center.
  • In the north, the Hamburg Elbtunnel operates with one lane closed in each direction, the Wesertunnel is shut, and Leer’s Jann-Berghaus Bridge is closed during the day.
  • Additional closures in Lower Saxony include the Bovenden and Butterberg tunnels and the Schwingeklappbrücke near Stade, with winter road service limited to essential coverage.
  • Autobahn GmbH and state road authorities have activated emergency service agreements to keep core functions running and are posting real-time updates via autobahn.de and social channels.
  • Ver.di’s action covers roughly 14,000 Autobahn GmbH employees and thousands of state staff, with demands of a 7% pay rise or at least €300 monthly as further bargaining rounds are planned for February.