German train drivers' strike hits millions of travellers

A 50-hour nationwide strike by German train drivers that started Saturday, coinciding with the start of school holidays in some states and the end of the vacation period in others, has hit millions of travellers, according to dpa.
The strike, the train drivers' third in two weeks, began at 2 am on Saturday (midnight GMT) and was to end at 4 am on Monday, the GDL union said.
Some two-thirds of long distance trains ground to a halt. Also affected were urban and regional services and rail freight traffic.
The union is pushing for a 5-per-cent pay hike and two hours less work each week.