Activists strike together with local transport staff

Climate activists and public transport workers in Dresden are joining forces: the Fridays for Future (FFF) initiative plans to take to the streets in Dresden on March 1 together with public transport workers. Under the motto "We travel together", a rally was organized at the State Chancellery on Tuesday. A petition will then also be handed over to politicians. Fridays for Future and the trade union Verdi demanded good working conditions and more staff as well as "mobility for all" and a doubling of public transport services. The action in Dresden is part of a nationwide day of action.

"The climate crisis and social issues have been played off against each other for far too long, but they can only be solved together. We have also seen this for years in local public transport, which is constantly being cut back: For the climate, we need a radical change in mobility - this can only be achieved with more buses and trains," argued FFF spokesperson Elisabeth Jancke. The working conditions in local transport are "catastrophic". It is no wonder that there is a lack of employees. "That is why we are taking to the streets together with the employees and demanding fair working conditions and good local transport that takes everyone with it."

In its announcement, Fridays for Future quoted a Dresden streetcar driver who criticized poor working conditions and a high workload, citing the sickness rate among employees as evidence. "By 2030, tens of thousands of local transport workers will be missing nationwide." This would make the jobs more stressful, the services longer and the time for breaks and passengers shorter," said the streetcar driver. His colleagues are on duty for passengers every day, but the responsibility is currently spread over far too few shoulders.