German commuter and bus services will likely grind to a halt across the country as the major public services union has called for a nearly nationwide strike over a dispute with employers at the municipal and state level.

In a Friday statement, Verdi union said that it was "safe" to assume that the affected transport systems would be unable to operate. It also stated that more than 100,000 employees had been asked to walk out.

Verdi wants to improve working conditions for local public transport, including shorter working hours, more?breaks, and better pay for night shifts and weekend shifts.

In some regions, collective bargaining is also taking place on the overall salary. (Reporting and editing by Thomas Seythal, with Ludwig Burger)

(source: Reuters)