Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, when workers stop working to fight for better pay and working conditions. They cause instability in public transportation and other industries. In particular, a large number of strikes are planned for February in different EU countries, which can significantly complicate the lives of residents and tourists. Find out more about where and when strikes will take place in February

In most European countries, workers' strikes are a common way to demand better working conditions and higher wages. However, in such situations, service users usually suffer, most often passengers who cannot reach their destinations on time. The advantage is that most protests are agreed upon a few weeks in advance, so people can prepare for possible transport disruptions.

We talked about how to protect yourself from strikes here. Today we have prepared for you a selection of protests in Europe planned for February-March 2024.

- France

The largest strike in Europe is planned by the French trade union CGT-RATP. In total, the protests will last 7 months, from February 5 to September 9. Disruptions to the Ile-de-France bus network and the metro are expected during this period.

Employees of the state public transport company are demanding a salary increase. If an agreement is not reached, it is highly likely that the Olympics in Paris this summer will be held in conditions of significant transport problems.

- United Kingdom

London Overground strikes - The RMT union has announced strikes on February 19-20 and March 4-5, which will affect the London Underground network.

Also, from January 30 to February 5, the Aslef trade union held a series of one-day strikes in the UK, affecting different train operators on different days. Machinists protested against their wages, which, according to them, had not been raised in the last five years. Given that the demands were not met, we can expect the protests to continue in the spring of 2024.

- Germany

The German Machinists' Union (GDL) continues to hold nationwide strikes in February 2024. Overall, if no agreement is reached by the March 3 deadline, indefinite strikes could hit Germany's rail network as early as this spring. The protests were sparked by a long-running dispute between workers and train operator Deutsche Bahn over working hours, pay and working conditions.

Also, since February 2, 2024, employees of city transport, in particular buses, trams and the metro, have already stopped their work several times, because the members of the Verdi trade union oppose the lack of staff and the length of working hours. It is predicted that the protests may continue.

Finnish airports were affected by strikes on February 1-2.

It is worth noting that some protests happen suddenly. Therefore, when traveling in Europe, we advise you to monitor the news, pay attention to possible strikes and plan your movements taking into account the changes.

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Daria Rogova, Head of Insurance at Visit World

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Photo: Reuters