Germany is likely to fall into traffic chaos in large parts this Monday. With a double warning strike, the railway and transport union (EVG) and Verdi want to paralyze traffic to a large extent. Cancellations and delays affect millions of travelers and commuters - Overview of an unprecedented escalation:

Which areas will be affected?

Public transport to a large extent - and with certain motorways also parts of the car traffic. The EVG strikes the train, so that operations in long-distance, regional and S-Bahn traffic come to a standstill. The German airports are on strike on a large scale - according to the airport association ADV, around 380,000 business and private travelers cannot take off. At the largest airport in Frankfurt, for example, passenger traffic comes to a standstill. Munich Airport has also announced that it will not be able to maintain regular flight operations on Sunday and Monday. Shipping is also to be restricted.

How is the situation on the train?

According to its own statements, Deutsche Bahn will stop all long-distance traffic on Monday. Even in regional traffic, "mostly no trains will run," the group announced on Thursday. "According to statements by the union, the first effects of striking employees are already possible on Sunday evening," it said. The warning strike will therefore still affect rail traffic on Tuesday.

Passengers who have booked a train journey for Monday or Tuesday can still use the ticket flexibly up to and including April 4th, Deutsche Bahn announced. Seat reservations could be canceled free of charge.

What is planned for public transport?

Almost nothing is supposed to work here in seven federal states - in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony and large parts of Bavaria. Verdi had already brought buses, trains and trams to a standstill in these countries at the beginning of March.

What is in store for drivers?

The streets are likely to be very crowded, especially in the cities where local transport is also on strike. At first it was feared that even tunnels would have to be closed because they could no longer be monitored. The Autobahn company rejected this fear on Thursday. "In particular, the operational service on the federal trunk roads must be maintained," it said. "For this purpose, emergency service agreements are concluded, for example to avoid tunnel closures".

When exactly does the strike start?

It's supposed to start on Monday night at midnight - the walkout is supposed to last for 24 hours. EVG boss Martin Burkert expressly recommended travelers to be at their destination on time on Sunday. However, travelers should not be stranded on the open route. "We will not throw any passengers off the bus," said Behle.

What does the strike mean for shipping?

Locks on important waterways and about the port of Hamburg are to be struck. Certain areas will then be completely blocked, and the port of Hamburg will no longer be accessible for large ships.

Have there been such community strikes before?

Yes, early 1990s. At that time, local and long-distance transport as well as airports all over Germany were struck simultaneously during a strike that lasted several weeks. However, this was a regular industrial action - not a warning strike.

Are coordinated warning strikes from two collective bargaining rounds unusual?

"This is an unusual thing," said tariff expert Thorsten Schulten of the German Press Agency. If two unions find that they are negotiating in parallel in similar areas, a joint approach is obvious. A large warning strike at the start of a round of negotiations signals to the employers: "We mean business, and the employees are behind us."

Is a strike day of this magnitude unique?

this is open The unions are extremely determined. "We can go on strike," emphasized Verdi boss Frank Werneke. Collective bargaining expert Schulten currently expects that the joint strike day will "remain a selective action for the time being," as the researcher at the WSI institute of the Hans Böckler Foundation, which is close to the trade union, says. After all, there is no common planning authority for different trade unions.

Why is there Super Strike Day?

From the point of view of the trade unions, the employers show too little movement in several collective bargaining rounds. With the major action on Monday, they are flexing their muscles just in time for the third round of negotiations for the public service. For the 2.5 million federal and local employees, Verdi and the civil servants' association dbb are demanding 10.5 percent more income, but at least 500 euros more per month. Meanwhile, EVG is fighting with several companies for more money - especially in view: Deutsche Bahn.

How are employers reacting to the announcements?

With heavy criticism. "Not ok" is the massive announcement for the President of the Association of Municipal Employers' Associations (VKA), Karin Welge. Welge argues that a result can finally be found in the third round in Potsdam. Bahn HR Director Martin Seiler called the actions on Thursday "completely exaggerated, unnecessary and "disproportionate". He called on the EVG to return to the table "immediately".

What scenarios are there?

For the public service, tariff expert Schulten reminds of the process at the post office: Here, the Verdi members had already spoken out in a ballot for an indefinite strike. But then another round of negotiations quickly followed - and an agreement was reached. Something like this is also conceivable in the public service. If there is no agreement in Potsdam next week, an attempt at arbitration would probably be made first, says Schulten.