Fresh strikes by train, air staff hit Germany

BERLIN — Many of Germany's train drivers staged a 24-hour strike on Tuesday in the latest installment of a long-running and bitter dispute over working hours with the country's main railway operator, while a walkout by cabin crew at Lufthansa added to disruptions for travelers.

The GDL union called on drivers of state-owned Deutsche Bahn's passenger trains to walk out starting at 2 am. It called the strike only on Sunday evening, making good on an announcement last week that it would no longer give 48 hours' notice.

The main sticking point in the dispute is GDL's demand for working hours to be reduced from 38 to 35 hours per week without a pay cut. Some smaller private operators that operate regional services have agreed to the demand.